Final Fantasy 7: Dirge of Cerberus
by HiddenXEmotion
Summary: Claire takes up her turn of fame as she joins with Vincent Valentine to take care of a strange Organization that's trying to take over the world…again. Only problem is that they seem to also be after her…
1. Prologue

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Prologue**_

**It was an epic tale: a battle for the planet's survival.**

The sprawling metropolis of Midgar had become the world's center. Mako, a seemingly unlimited source of energy, supplied power to everyone. This energy source was developed and monopolized by an entity known as the ShinRa Electric Power Company, which covered the surface of the planet with energy distribution facilities called Mako Reactors. ShinRa had grown into a malevolent industry with incontestable economic power, as well as a tyrannical hand in politics.

Unknown to most, Mako was the source of all life on the planet-the very lifeblood pulsing through its veins. As Mako was pumped from deep below the planet's surface, the world slowly crept towards its imminent demise.

_**~Crisis Core~**_

Jeanne Rush, one of only two women ever accepted into SOLDIER, never thought once about the work she and her partner, Zack Fair, were told to do for ShinRa. Not until those she cared about started to turn on them.

Genesis Rhapsodos, a man that she saw as her Uncle or an older brother, turned on ShinRa for reasons unknown and led secret experiments. This led to the death of Angeal Hewley and the beginning of Jeanne's hatred of ShinRa.

During these events, Sephiroth and Sienna searched for the truth to their existence and what they found changed everything. Hatred for everyone and everything spread through them both and they attacked, burning Nibelheim to the ground. Jeanne and Zack tried to stop them, Cloud and Claire as well, but they were not strong enough to kill them. Instead, Sienna and Sephiroth just disappeared, leaving the four of them to the hands of a mad scientist.

For five years they were locked in experiments before breaking loose and running free only to find that Genesis was still wreaking havoc. Stepping forward to stop him, Zack and Jeanne succeeded. Their plan was to return to Midgar and retrieve loved ones from ShinRa but they never reached it together. Zack sacrificed himself to save Jeanne and the twins from ShinRa, resulting in a loss of a hero that none of them would ever forget…

_**~Final Fantasy 7~**_

Jeanne Rush, an ex-SOLDIER, agreed to cooperate with AVALANCHE, an anti-

ShinRa group taken over by Barret Wallace. Though Jeanne had a strong idea of what would happen she never expected it to go as far as it all did.

Many gathered around Jeanne, besides Barret, drawn to her and her struggle.

**Cloud and Claire Strife-** A set of twins that Jeanne took under her wing after the events of Nibelheim.

**Tifa Lockheart- **A friend of the Strife Twins and a woman that Jeanne had met during the events of Nibelheim; a master of Martial Arts.

**Aerith Gainsborough- **A woman with the blood of the Ancients running through her veins; someone that Jeanne would never forgive…nor forget.

**Red Xlll-** The last member of a race that lived alongside the planet and protected it with pride.

**Cait Sith-** A fortune-telling robot whose true identity was Reeve Tuesti, a spy from ShinRa that Jeanne had known.

**Yuffie Kisaragi-** A young ninja gathering Materia to restore her homeland to its former glory.

**Cid Highwind-** A renowned pilot destined to be the world's first astronaut.

**Renee Sivil- **Cid's mechanic and companion, as well as Yuffie's aunt.

**Vincent Valentine-** whose body was twisted by a man ShinRa scientist and made to sleep for thirty years as he haunted the dreams of Claire.

**Zeke Fair-** A young man that was looking for revenge against his cousin, Zack's, death.

**Myra Zoon-** An archeologist and Zeke's boss, a woman looking for the secrets of the Ancients.

**Jena Rush-** Jeanne's older sister who had changed sides from the Turks to help her sister bring peace.

Despite the pain it brought, Jeanne lead this stalwart band into a battle against Sephiroth and Sienna, a man and woman intent on destroy the entire planet, and also the pair that Jeanne and her sister saw as their parents.

Sephiroth and Sienna, once members of SOLDIER themselves, were once legendary warriors who brought the Rush sisters in from Junon, giving them lives that they wouldn't have found on the streets. Created through ShinRa's _Jenova Project _both of their powers greatly surpassed that of any mere human. At one time in history, they were revered by all as heroes, but on the fateful day they discovered the secrets behind their births, they set Nibelheim ablaze and disappeared without a trace. As they vanished, Sienna and Sephiroth vowed to one day become rulers of the planet.

Several years later, they reappeared and initiated their plan to summon a wayward star from the Cosmos and smash it into the surface of the planet, using the ultimate destructive magic, Meteor. Aerith learned of the danger to the planet and took Jeanne with her, preparing to use Holy, a sacred magic of the Ancients, to stop Meteor. However, she was felled by Sephiroth's blade, Masamune.

Overcoming sorrow and despair, Jeanne and her companions finally managed to defeat Sephiroth and Sienna, but Meteor already hovered close above the Planet's surface. The land screamed in agony as cities were slowly torn apart. In the midst of the chaos, Aerith's dying prayers were finally answered and Holy rose against the wicked magic. However, it was far too late and nothing could stop the awesome strength of Meteor. At that moment when all seemed lost, the Lifestream appeared all synchronized with Holy, enveloping Meteor along with the entire planet…

_**~Advent Children~**_

The legendary heroics of Jeanne Rush and her party will never be completely forgotten, but like all memories good and bad, their tale has faded with time. However, it has taken more than time to undo the damage wrought by the ShinRa Company and Sephiroth and Sienna. The survivors of Midgar have rebuilt their lives in the city of Edge, located on the outskirts of the ruined metropolis. Although the Lifestream is slowly replenishing itself deep underground, all is not well on the surface.

Nearly two years later, Jeanne, Claire, and Tifa are getting ready for the wedding between Tifa and Zeke when they are attacked by a trio of women. Not too long after Zeke and Cloud are attacked by another trio of men. The delivery boy had been hiding from the others, feeling guilty still for the deaths of Zack and Aerith and succumbed to the disease known as Geostigma, but while he hid his sister, Claire, and Jeanne were also cured with the Jenova Cells but stayed strong, taking care of the other Geostigma victims, most of them being children.

Soon after both attacks, Jeanne and Claire meet with Rufus ShinRa, as well as Jena and the rest of the Turks(save Tseng and Elena), they learn that the group of six is led by a man named Kadaj and a woman named Karina, who seek the remains of Jenova. With the six of the group, they wish to use Jenova to resurrect Sephiroth and Sienna and finish the destruction of the planet. Kadaj begins by taking all the Geostigma-infected children to the Forgotten City of the Ancients.

Cloud and Claire head off after them to bring back the children. However, they fail and end up being rescued by an old friend, Vincent Valentine, making Cloud's self-doubt spiral downwards even more…

It isn't until Jeanne knocks some sense into him, during the battle with the colossal dragon Bahamut SIN that Cloud comes to his senses. The members of the group from two years ago were all joining together to enjoy Tifa and Zeke's wedding and instead found themselves in a battle against the summon that Zeke and Jeanne bring down. With spirits restored, Cloud follows after Jeanne with his sister to track down Kadaj and Karina. A fierce battle ensues and stretches across Midgar, finally taking place in Aerith's church. Inside, Cloud and Claire are healed of their Geostigma when water infused with the power of the Lifestream appears from below the church and falls upon them like gentle rain but Jeanne is left to suffer the Stigma even more as the rain seemed to make it even worse on her…

The trio give chase after Kadaj and Karina, where they are soon joined by Jeanne's sister, Jena, and the four of them have the battle shift into their favor…until Kadaj and Karina shift to the forms of Sephiroth and Sienna. This battle formed harsher than the previous one from two years ago and expanded all across Midgar. Jena and Claire are both quickly knocked from the battle, leaving Cloud and Jeanne to hold their own against the two tortured spirits.

But at the final moment, Jeanne finds herself unable to kill the woman that she had always seen as her mother and drops her sword, giving Sienna the chance to leave. However, Sienna takes the passage to jump in the way of Cloud's Omnislash to Sephiroth and takes a fatal blow to protect her loved one. Sephiroth and Sienna revert back to Kadaj and Karina; Kadaj was at the edge of death while Karina had already taken the tumble over. Aerith's spirit once again appears and releases a healing rain across the land that cures the Geostigma plague.

At the feel of hands touching her, Jeanne is left with the feeling that her mother is still with her, giving her a sense of peace and relief of the guilt from killing her.

_**~Dirge of Cerberus~**_

Three long years have passed since the first events of Meteor…

The Comet had left a tremendous scar on the Planet. The once green land withered and the radiant light of Mako vanished. The calamity known as Meteorfall would never be forgotten by anyone who lived through that fateful day.

In the midst of this tragedy, people worked to help one another, and the world slowly began to rise from the ashes of decay and decimation.

Just as things began to stabilize, an ominous event transpired in Junon. In the course of a single night, a large number of people disappeared without a trace. News of this mass disappearance carried swiftly across the globe and spawned rampant speculation.

At the heart of Meteor's attack on the plant, Midgar had sustained most of the damage and was no longer a place for man to dwell. However, records were uncovered that led many to believe that people had been left behind in the city. Television crews and volunteer organizations sent in rescue teams, but not a single person returned.

Kalm, located to the east of Midgar, also sustained major damage during Meteorfall, but had managed to recover-thanks to the efforts of its people. Plans for a large celebration were underway.

Vincent Valentine is summoned to the celebration by Reeve Tuesti, an old comrade who fought by his side three years ago in the struggle against Sienna and Sephiroth.

As festive participants fill the streets and celebration envelopes the town, a mysterious group of soldiers attack without warning. People all over the town are gunned down or captured by these unidentified invaders. Vincent bears witness to the tragedy unfolding around him and leaps into action. What he doesn't know is that these soldiers are also looking for him…and an old friend named Claire Strife…

**Please Review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter One**_

_**Sea of Flames**_

**The song blared through the hotel room, covering the sound of the woman in the shower. **Music normally calmed her down but the song playing just made everything all worse.

**_~It isn't a crime to want  
A little space to breathe  
But you will be fine  
The sun again will shine on you  
Whatever you do~_**

It made her think of the man she loved; yeah, like he wasn't on her mind all day every day. She had promised to give him time but this…this was just ridiculous. How could he say what he did and then just disappear again, leaving her behind like he had before?

**_~Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here for you baby  
Anytime~_**

She had been expecting something at least, to let her know that he was still okay. That he was still there but she had received nothing. Not a visit…

**_~I'm feeling you pull away  
'cause letting go isn't easy for me  
But you'll never fly  
With someone else's wings, I know  
Wherever you go~_**

Not a call…

**_~Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here for you baby  
Anytime~_**

Not even a letter.

**_~Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here for you baby  
Anytime~_**

It was tearing her apart. Was this how Jeanne felt when Cloud had left them behind before Kadaj and Karina attacked? Was this how Jeanne felt after Zack died, or Cloud after Aerith? Could it even be seen as the same?

**_~I will never stand in your way  
Wherever your heart may lead you  
I will love you the same  
And I will be your comfort every day  
Do you hear the words I say?~_**

It wasn't fair for him to do this to her. She didn't know if she could handle this any longer.

She didn't want to …

**_~Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I will be here for you baby  
Anytime~_**

Claire Strife lifted her head at the sound of her phone ringing on the counter. Her brother. Stepping out and reaching the phone she paused for a moment, staring at herself in the mirror. At the age of 24 now she was still 5'8' in height. Her long blond hair was now cut to her shoulders.

"Claire," Cloud's voice spread a warmth through his sister's body, dragging her away from her silence.

"Hey, Cloud. How's your trip?"

"What's wrong?" He ignored her question and gave his own.

She turned from the mirror and reached for the radio, turning it off. "What are you talking about?"

"Twins, remember? I always know when you're troubled or upset."

"You're on your vacation, Cloud. You and Jeanne shouldn't be worry about me; that's what vacations are for."

"Nonsense," Cloud told his sister. "Tell me, what's bothering you."

With a small smile, Claire gazed out the window to look over the moon above Kalm. She was here by invitation of Reeve Tuesti for the celebration of the destruction to Meteorfall three years ago. She was just about to leave to join in with the festivities. "It's…nothing, Cloud. I swear."

Cloud was silent for a few moments. "Vincent again, huh?"

"Nothing gets past big brother, does it?" She shook her head.

"Look, Claire, it's been three years…and he's returned to wherever it is that he always goes, even after the attack we had from Kadaj and Karina. After the event at the wedding he should have stayed with you but it seems-"

"I know," Claire hung her head. "I'm just not what he wants…WHO he wants." The image of that woman…Lucrecia, appeared in her mind again from the events at that cave years ago when Sienna had killed her, locking her away in crystal.

"Claire, I-"

"Cloud, how did…after Aerith died how did you and Jeanne end up together?" Claire knew that her brother didn't like to talk about her but…

"That's…that's something that the two of you will have to talk about."

"But, Cloud-"

"I don't know how to explain it, Claire." Cloud sounded exasperated.

"Well try, please!"

"Feelings are not something that you can explain, Claire," another voice joined the conversation from Cloud's side. Jeanne. "You'll only know them when you find them yourself. Vincent knows how you feel and after the events of Tifa and Zeke's wedding you were told that he felt something too. It's now his choice to choose between you or someone that he won't ever get back. And I believe that after nearly a year of no contact he has made his choice. Leave him behind, Claire," Jeanne told her. "At least for now. You can't keep yourself cooped up for a man that might never see you the way you see him. Wasting away, waiting on him is foolish. Now, if he comes to you before you find another man that you fall for then that's a different story and if our emo-vampire does that, then I would suggest that you make his beg for forgiveness!"

Claire couldn't help but let out a laugh at that. She could just imagine the firm look on Jeanne's face she shot Cloud as she spoke. Oh yes, this ex-SOLDIER had done everything except make her brother get on his hands and knees and beg her for forgiveness for the way he acted for two years before the events at Edge. "Thanks, guys," She felt better now, knowing that Jeanne was right. "I appreciate it."

"No problem," Cloud told his sister. "You know the two of us are here if you ever need to talk."

"I know. Don't forget, it's going to be our birthday soon, so be sure to bring me something special back, got it?"

Cloud laughed. "Of course and the same goes to you."

"I've already bought yours," Claire grinned. "And it's gonna drop your jaw to the floor."

The festival was a lot of fun as Claire walked through the city, talking and cheering with the others around the streets as music was played and fireworks went off in the sky. Dances and the smell of food wafted through the city. Claire was hoping to see Reeve or someone else she knew around here but she was still having fun without them.

A missile, out of nowhere it seems, landed in the church nearby and made everything freeze. Helicopters soon joined and dropped cargo containers and what appeared to be soldiers in the town square. When the soldiers landed they drew out guns and began to rain fire down onto the people while they ran. Clare was frozen in place for a moment before she grabbed her sword. After the events in Edge a year ago she refused to go anywhere without her blade again. But of course, knowing her luck, she had left the blade in the hotel because she was going to be walking around in a festival. Why did this always happen to her? Both her blade and her gun were in her room and there was no time for her to go and get them. She had to do something and now.

With a growl at the sight of one of the soldiers shoving a child into one of their containers, Claire ran at him, her fists pulled back before punching him in the face and jumping onto the back of another. She ripped the gun out of the man's hand and began to fire, bringing all the attention to her as some of the townspeople got away. She caught most of the attention but everyone was drawn to the helicopter as it shot into the hotel. She pulled a face at the thought of her sword and gun when, luckily, she saw the shining blade fly off towards the east. The gun had to be with it. She went to go running after them when she caught sight of a man that flew out of the fire of the hotel. Her mouth wanted to drop open. It couldn't be.

Those red eyes. That long black hair. The tattered, red cloak. Vincent Valentine. What were the odds of both of them being here at the same time?

The sight of him filled Claire with joy and she went to call out to him but Jeanne's words kept her silent. Jeanne was right. If Vincent wanted to talk to Claire he was going to have to step forward. She wasn't going to be chasing after him any longer.

Hurrying out of the town square, she headed off towards where she saw her weapons fly off. Soon a group of civilians had gathered around her to stay safe since she had a gun and for a while, everything was good until the ammo ran out.

"Dammit," She grumbled, smacking it. "Don't do this to me now. Not when I need you the most!" In frustration, she then flung it away, hitting one of the man/beast monsters in the head with it. It growled.

Claire heard one of the children behind her whimper and she balled up her fists. Time for that Martial Arts Tifa had shown her to come in handy. And it did. It kept the beasts at bay and one of her kicks landed in his face and sent the beast flying.

"Ha! Try that again, beastman! I dare ya!" She was still worried as hell, though. There were a lot more and they were turning to her and the ones she was protecting. More ran at her and she set her face to fight until gunshots rang through the air, knocking all the attackers down. Before she had a chance to look at the gunman the children that she had been with jumped into her arms, crying.

"Now, now, guys," Claire smiled. "Everything's all right." After she had everyone calmed down again she finally turned her eyes to their savior.

The man held the appearance of late 20's with long, silky black hair and crimson eyes as he stood about six feet in height. There was a red band on his head with his hair falling over it. He wore a tattered red cape, held in place over his shoulders and his lower face by several buckles. Beneath the cape he wore everything else in black from his neck to his feet with several more straps and buckles. There was a gun and a holster on his right leg and pointed, gold sabatons on his feet. On his left arm was a golden gauntlet with claw-like fingers. The ex-Turk just stared at her in silence.

Tearing her gaze away, Claire moved to the stray guns of the enemy before turning back to the men behind her. "Here," She handed them the two guns. "Take these and get these people inside a building and hide. It'll be a lot safer inside." The men nodded before herding the group inside a near building and locking the door behind them.

"Are you not going with them?" Vincent's deep voice sent a tingling feeling through her skin but she refused to acknowledge it as she sighed.

"I have…more important things to do." Claire referred to the rest of the city's mayhem and Vincent nodded in agreement.

"Then you might want these." He told her.

Claire turned back to him and couldn't help the smile that broke out across her face. In his left hand was Jeanne's sword, her gun and holster still wrapped around it. She grabbed them instantly, almost like a greedy, little kid. "What I wouldn't pay to know the thoughts that went through your head when you found these." She turned her back to him, missing the small smile on his face as she pulled the holster on and placed the blade across her back.

"What are you doing here, Claire?" Vincent asked her.

She glanced at him. "I was here for the festival. Reeve invited me to celebrate it with him but business came up and he couldn't." She pulled her hair out of her face, getting a serious feel about her. "And what are you here for? I doubt _you _were here for the celebration."

Vincent shook his head. "Reeve asked me to meet him here."

"He did, huh?" She asked herself before turning to walk down to the large wooden doors that led back into the town square. Vincent took a few steps after her before he could stop himself and followed her through the doors. The square was completely empty now…until that large aircraft, a Dragonfly, decided to pop up and began to fire at them. The bullets were easy to dodge.

"Think you can handle this?" Vincent asked her, grabbing Cerberus.

"After all the crap that we've been through I'm sure I'll be fine." The beginning was quite easy. The just dodged bullets and fired their own until a troop of the enemy, dressed in black with the glowing blue stripes running down their bodies, jumped down to face them. Claire switched her gun out for her sword. "I'll handle these guys. You take care of the helicopter."

Vincent nodded and jumped onto one of the buildings to resume his attack on the Dragonfly. None of it took very long. Claire was done with the troops in time to see Vincent roll onto a building to dodge the helicopter's missiles before it flew off. Poking her head after the smoke clear she found Vincent standing up and brushing dust off of his coat. She calmly told herself to do as Jeanne said.

"You all right?" She asked him.

"I'm fine."

"Good. Let's go." She told him, heading up the stairs. It was harder being so cold to him but she forced herself to stick to it.

They weren't attacked as they traveled through the building but when they reached the top floor the wall to the right burst in. A large man, muscular with long, pale blue hair and dressed with those glowing blue stripes, walked in. This 9'5' man made Barret look like a freakin' teddy bear and Claire couldn't help but let her eyes grow wide. Right behind him was a young teen with short, copper hair in matching clothes.

"The Protomateria," The young girl was the one to speak. Claire's eyebrows rose as her eyes began to glow an orange color. "Tell us where it is."

~Protomateria?~ Claire titled her head. ~Where have I heard that before?~ Vincent placed himself between Claire and the newcomers as they both remained silent, waiting for the others to move first.

"Hail Weiss." The Large man grinned. He was echoed by the troops that had filed in after them. They pointed their guns at Vincent and Claire but they didn't last seconds when Claire pulled out Jeanne's sword again. The large man smirked and took a step towards her. "Challenge accepted." Vincent got ready to move but before any of them could the young girl seemed to lose her strength and fainted to the floor.

"This way!" A voice called from the hall and footsteps could be heard.

The large man paused for a moment and then smirked. "Luck is on your side." He commented as he picked the girl up.

"I'm sorry," She whispered.

The man paused again and turned back to face Vincent and Claire. "I am Azul. We will meet again." And he was gone by the time the door to their left burst open. Several moved in the room but the one that caught Claire's attention was the man in dark blue with medium brown hair and a beard.

"Reeve!" She grinned at the man as she engulfed him in a hug. "It's so good to see you again!"

The man laughed. "Same to you, Claire." He glanced over her shoulder. "Vincent. Are you two all right?'

"Of course," Claire grinned, pulling back as Vincent nodded.

"Reeve, nice to see you again. Not a very interesting outfit, though."

Claire gave a giggle as Reeve laughed. "It took me a while to decide which costume I'd put on for today." He answered and then he turned serious. "But enough of the small talk. Who were the soldiers that just left?"

"I have no idea," Claire shook her head. "But they were with the ones that attacked the city."

"The large one called himself Azul." Vincent added.

Reeve's mouth almost dropped open. "Azul the Cerulean? Of the Tsviets!"

"It seems that you've heard of him." Claire cupped her chin in her hand as she thought. ~Why did that name…Weiss…seem to familiar?~

"That can only mean…" Reeve continued.

"Commissioner!" a WRO member cried out and Reeve turned. There were more of the enemy troop moving around the city.

"We'll discuss this later," Reeve told them. "The WRO troops have arrived and commenced rescue operations. We could use both of your help."

Claire nodded happily and Reeve went to leave, but-

"Reeve," Vincent called out and the man turned back. "I don't know what you are up to, but I want absolutely no part of it."

The man looked surprised and hurt. "But…you fought alongside us three years ago! And last year too! We need your help once mo-" The man was cut off by a troop that had snuck up behind and shot him.

"Reeve!" Claire cried out. Vincent's eyes went wide and he pulled out his gun and shot the soldier before kneeling beside them. Vincent tried to pick him up and roll him over but his arms and head rolled off.

It was just a robot! Claire sighed in relief as Cait Sith rolled out of the body. Vincent glared at it.

"Ah!" The white cat cried. "That was a close one! Never was good at fighting!" Vincent sighed as the two of them watched him talk. "Luckily I come out wearing 'Reeve'!" The cat then looked up at Vincent. "You're really not a bad bloke are you, Vincent? You pretend not to care, but you always come through in the end."

Vincent sighed. "All right, what do you want us to do?"

Claire lifted her head as he said 'us'. It hurt. It hurt a lot, knowing that he planned on moving around with her again for a little longer.

"Let's run those lads outta town! I'll leave the method up two you two. When you've tidied things up, meet me at the Square in front of the east church."

Vincent stood to his feet and held a hand down to help Claire up. If the situation would have been different, she would have took it but stood up on her own and placed her hands on her hips as she stared down at the white cat.

"You better be prepared, 'cause the next time I see you , Reeve, I'm going to beat you for scaring me like that!"

Cait Sith chuckled. "Sure thing, Lassie. Just make sure that you're in one piece when you do it!" He gave Claire a thumbs-up as Vincent jumped out of the window. She returned the gesture and followed the silent man.

Claire landed on her feet and put her hands in her pockets. They were in the city square again. "All right. Well, I'll see you later, I guess." She told him as she began to walk away.

Vincent stared after her for a few moments. She was leaving? He had been expecting her to follow him around like she had done before Meteorfall. "You're leaving?" He called after her.

"Yep." She didn't look back at him. "These last few months, ever since the wedding, I've realized that I can take care of myself. If you need me, give me a call. You know my number, though I doubt you'd call."

Vincent watched her leave the square. He had been expecting her comments like that but they stung worse than he thought they would. He deserved that, especially after the kisses he had given her at Tifa and Zeke's wedding. It was a strange feeling, him wanting to ask her to stay with him while fighting through the city but he turned his back instead, traveling down another street.

Both Claire and Vincent traveled through the city, saving people, learning things, and not seeing the other. They learned that WRO stood for World Regenesis Order, though Claire made a comment on how World Restoration Order would sound better.

Where Claire finally reached the east church, Vincent was already there, fighting that helicopter again. She watched as he took it down in his Limit Break, Galian Beast. That brought back many memories as it was Claire that could calm Vincent down when he went through his Limit Break during their journey.

As Vincent turned back to normal as he landed on the ground, Claire applauded and walked closer to him. "Not bad," She commented.

"You didn't find the need to help?" He asked her.

"It looked like you had everything under control." More of the attacking troop appeared their guns pointing at the two of them. "There's 12 of them, and two of us. Can you take six by yourself?" Claire asked, pulling her gun out. She didn't wait for an answer and went to run forward but a truck pulled up in front of her, unloading WRO troops poured out. Reeve, with his own gun, followed them. Reeve and Vincent nodded at eachother as Claire joined the WRO members and their shooting. Vincent followed suit.

After everything was back in order, Vincent and Claire sat on top of some crates in silence, waiting for Reeve to come and talk to them. Vincent had opened his mouth to say several things but decided against it, just staring at the blonde woman as she played with her phone. Something had changed about her over the year. Yes, she had cut her hair but there was something else. The way she held herself. It was something that he couldn't place. Her clothes were now black jeans and boots with a long-sleeved, dark blue top with the images of a fire burning across it from her left hip. Her sword was now on her hip with 2 belts and her gun and there was a thin, silver chain hanging around her neck. He recognized that outfit from their journey together before Meteorfall. He also recognized that emblem of a three-headed dog hanging on that chain on her neck. Vincent had given her that on the night before the final battle. She might have been mad at him but if she was still wearing that after all this time…

"Good work, you two," Reeve praised, grabbing their attention. "The enemy is retreating. It seems they have finally begun their withdrawal from Kalm."

"Good." Vincent replied. Claire nodded in agreement.

"However, we still require your assistance." Reeve looked at Claire with an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry. This was supposed to be an evening of relief for you but not anymore."

"It's all right, Reeve," Claire waved it aside. "You know me and my fighting."

"Yes, but that's not what I'm talking about." He gave a sigh and hung his head a bit. "I've just received word that…reports are that Edge is under attack." Vincent watched in silence as a look of horror spread across the woman's face.

"What do you mean that it's under attack?" She demanded, jumping to her feet.

"The troops here have also attacked Edge. We lost contact while the attack happened." He gave her a serious look. "Are Cloud and the others still there?"

"No," Claire shook her head. "Tifa took Denzel and Matt with her to join Zeke at the dig site and Cloud and Jeanne are on vacation at Rocket Town with Cid and Renee. Rufus and the Turks all went to the mountains on some kind of mission."

"What about Marlene?"

"Barret took her with him for a little while," Claire told him, shaking her head. "Dammit, if they had been there…"

"If they were there then they would have chased the enemy out with their tail between their legs, but they weren't, which is why I'm asking for the two of you to go."

"Oh hell yeah!" Claire growled, clenching a fist. "I swear if those idiots even laid a finger on my damn house-" She paused and looked at the older man with a sly grin. "Hey, Reeve, do you remember what next Thursday is?"

"Umm, August 19?" Reeve guessed.

Claire face-palmed. "Come on, Reeve! I expected Vincent not to know but not you! It's my birthday! Cloud and I turn 25 this year! How can you not remember? I even sent you a letter about the party we're supposed to have!" Vincent looked surprised.

"Oh, yes. I remember reading that. Don't worry, Claire." The man laughed. "I haven't forgotten about it. I already have your present ready for you."

Claire clapped her hands together happily. "Good. Then I'm here for you after the events at Edge, too." Vincent frowned and Claire caught it. "I would have sent you an invitation as well but I hadn't seen you in so long that I wasn't sure if you'd remember who I was."

Vincent scowled. That comment hurt more than her other had. "Claire-" But the woman walked away, calling to some of the WRO members, offering help. Vincent sighed.

"It's not like you didn't see it coming," Reeve commented. "And, no offense, but I would have called her or wrote to her or something. It would have been better than just no contact at all. Especially after she caught Tifa's bouquet."

Vincent closed his eyes and sighed as he remembered the look that the blonde woman had given him when she had caught the flowers before Tifa and Zeke left for their honeymoon. "I know."

"Get it all situated while you're in Edge, got it?" Reeve told him before walking away himself.

Vincent closed his eyes and sat back down on the crate again. ~I'll try~

**Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**For those who wanted to know the story between Sienna and Sephiroth, ECLIPSED has begun ;)**

**And I'm glad that you guys all came for this!**

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Showdown in the Wastes**_

"**So tell us, Reeve," **Claire began. "Who exactly were those men?"

Claire was sitting on the floor of the trailer, the Cait Sith robot in her lap as they were driven through the wasteland, heading for Edge. Reeve sat in front of her at the desk and Vincent was behind her, seeming as how she still wasn't talking to him.

"Deepground soldiers," Reeve answered, leaning forward on his knees.

"Deepground?" Vincent asked.

"Yes," the other man nodded. "The shadow of the ShinRa Company, constructed by the former president and completely hidden from the rest of the world."

"But why?" Claire asked while Vincent replied with his own-"Constructed?"

"His goal was to create an army of superhuman warriors-not once letting mortality interfere." Vincent hung his head while Clare's anger began to boil. "The man you met earlier, Azul, is also a member of Deepground. But, he belongs to the elite unit known as the Tsviets. The whole organization was kept a secret. That is why there is so little information on them. However, it's nothing like I expected."

Vincent looked back up at Reeve. "Not even a person in your position was informed?"

"No," Reeve shook his head. "Other than the President himself, the only people who knew of Deepground's existence were most likely Heidegger, Scarlet, and the head of biochemical research, Hojo." Claire felt Vincent stiffen at Hojo's name. "After the President's death, the transfer of power to his son was carried out so quickly, I doubt Rufus was ever briefed on the project. As for me, I was told the information was on a need to know basis."

"So, how did you find out about it?" Claire asked.

"All the Intel we currently have on Deepground was only discovered recently when we came across some of Scarlet's ol' files, thanks to Jeanne," Reeve answered. Vincent sighed while Claire slapped a hand over her eyes. ~Thanks for telling us all, Jeanne~

Reeve continued. "Have either of you heard of the mass disappearance that occurred recently in Junon?"

Claire jerked her head up in surprise. "What disappearance? What are you talking about?"

"There was a report a few days ago that told of twenty or thirty people suddenly vanishing," Vincent answered.

"That's what the report would like you to believe. The true amount was kept hidden so that they could contain the inevitable panic. The actual number of people that went missing that day was 1200."

Claire's face paled. "But…I was just there! I was just at Junon a couple of days ago!" Claire squeezed Cait Sith to her and the robotic cat patted her hand. She had been there to pick up the present for Cloud that she had ordered. The shop wouldn't send it through mail and so she had to go get it herself. "Did you find out why?" she asked.

Reeve slowly shook his head. "No. 1200 people simply vanished without a single trace. The WRO conducted a private investigation, but we came up empty-handed. Except for rumor. Since the Junon disappearances, people in Edge have been on, well, edge. They say that night after night you can hear screams coming from the direction of Midgar. Could it be the wind? Let me ask you, does the wind sound like a thousand wailing souls?"

Claire gave a huff. ~I guess it's a good thing that everyone left Edge for a little while, huh?~

Silence was in the trailer now and Claire began to shake. She had just been in Junon and now Edge was under attack. She could have been one of the ones that disappeared if Reeve hadn't of called her to the festival, seeming as how she was going to spend the night in the city before heading back home.; What would have happened if…

A hand placed on her shoulder made her stop shaking and she glanced over her shoulder at Vincent. His face was blank but his eyes gave a look of worry. She opened her mouth to say something but the WRO member on the radio beat her to it.

"Commissioner! A rogue transmission is being broadcast on all wave lengths!"

Reeve turned and switched the television on. A young man, shirtless and with long white hair sat in a chair in a dark room, staring down at them in anger. Claire titled her head a bit with a confused face. For some reason this man seemed to be very familiar…

"_At last," _the man's deep voice began. _"The time has come for the cause. While the tainted will be…hunted down and exterminated. They shall be slashes, strangled, and slaughtered. Beaten, stabbed, and crushed. Garroted and impaled. Shot and executed," _Reeve's mouth fell open as the other two just glared at the screen. _"Without mercy. The time has come to cleanse this world." _The man's hands rose as his maniacal laughter sounded before the broadcast shut off.

Reeve's mouth was still open and Claire pulled her eyes from the screen. "Why?" She demanded. "Why does it have to be our world that has all the crazy badguys that want to destroy everything? Why can't we have an invasion of marshmallows or something just looking for a place to live, huh?"

Vincent smirked. Claire was the Joker of the Strife twins, while you would never hear Cloud say something like that.

"Where could that signal have-" Reeve was cut off by a phone.

"_I stand alone. Everything that I believe is failing. I stand alone. Inside."_

Both men looked down at Claire as she pulled out her phone. "Hello?" Her face spread out into a large smile. ""Okay, hang on." She pulled the phone away and pressed a couple of buttons. "Are you still there, Zeke?"

~Zeke?~ Vincent thought. There was only on Zeke he knew of. Zeke Fair., Zack Fair's cousin…they had come across him about the same time they had Yuffie but that was before Vincent had joined them, so he wasn't clear with the story. But he was clear with one thing. This man was worse than Yuffie and Reno of the Turks combined.

"_Hello?"_ A man's voice sounded through the trailer. _"Yes, I'm here, Claire. Who else is with you?"_

"Reeve and Vincent."

"_Ah, so the bat's finally left he came and returned to humanity, huh? Did he grow tied on looking at the dead woman Sienna encased in ice?"_

If looks could kill and travel through phones, Vincent's would have killed Zeke.

"Uh, you do know that we can all hear you, right?" Reeve asked as Claire struggled to hold her laughter in.

Vincent shot a look at her but she didn't see it. In all truth, Claire hated Lucrecia with all her heart but never said anything because of Vincent. She had let him go after Meteorfall when he asked her for some time before he was ready to let Lucrecia go and she had given it to him. Two years full of it. And after the attack from Kadaj and Karina and their friends, she thought that he was ready, seeming as how he had kissed her, but he wasn't. He had left again for nearly another whole years. After three years, Claire had made up her mind. If Vincent left again, she wouldn't let him come back.

"_Yeah, I know he can."_ Zeke answered with an amused tone. _"Anyway, did you guys just catch that broadcast?"_

"Yes, we did. I take it that you did too."

"_Yep, sure did. Tifa, Myra, Reno and I all did. And I have a question for you."_

"And the Question is?" Reeve asked.

"_WHATI N THE HELL DID YOU AND YOUR WRO MEMBERS DO THIS TIME AND WHO IS IT THAT YOU PISSED OFF?"_

Claire flinched at the shout and went to respond when another woman beat her to it.

"_Zeke, Shush!"_ Tifa's voice ordered. _"You'll wake the baby up!"_

Zeke lowered his voice. _"Right, sorry. I forgot."_

Vincent raised an eyebrow. ~Baby?~ What were they talking about?

It seemed that Vincent was the only one confused as Reeve and Claire exchanged smiles.

"Zeke," Claire spoke in a scolding tone. "Why do you think this is Reeve's fault?"

"_Well, Cloud's not doing anything at the moment so I can't blame him and Reeve is the only one doing anything in a large format so it has to be his fault."_ Was her answer.

Claire rolled her eyes. "I don't see how you and Zack can be related. He was way smarter than you."

The man on the phone laughed. _"You only say that because you didn't know him growing up. Ask Jeanne and she'll agree with me. Zack was-"_ He was cut off by a banging sound on the side of the trailer.

"What was that?" Reeve's smile was erased from his face as he stood up. Everyone was silent as a second one sounded.

"Hey, Zeke, can we-"

Zeke cut Claire off. _"No problem. Be sure to take it easy, okay? I'd rather not have to come and clean up your mess."_ The phone hung up and Claire sighed.

"I know he means well, but he's just such an asshole."

Vincent smirked at her comment as then watched as Reeve opened the trailer doors. His gun was out in second, shooting the guardhound away from the other man as it jumped to attack him. He then began to reload his gun as Claire stood up.

"Guardhounds!" Reeve exclaimed. There was a bunch of them running after the, growling and barking.

Vincent shot a few more of them as he moved to stand by Reeve. "I'll take care of your pet problem. Just keep driving."

Reeve backed away, an idea popping into his head. "Vincent! Use this!" A large gun appeared out of the floor of the trailer and Claire let out a whistle.

"Let me guess. Renee built you this?"

"For my birthday earlier this year," Reeve nodded with a smile. "Cid wasn't too happy about her being gone for a week though."

Claire laughed as Vincent sat down on the gun. "I'm sure he wasn't. Leaving that man alone with children is a pretty hectic idea but then again they are his so I guess he wouldn't do anything TOO bad to them."

Vincent was surprised again. ~That's right,~ He told himself. ~Renee was pregnant during the wedding. But…just how many children did they have? Was the baby that Tifa was talking about Renee and Cid's?~

It didn't take to long for the man in red to guard the hounds off of their tail but they soon took to jumping on the roof. Reeve had a worried look and Claire handed Cait Sith to him. "I got them this time." She told him before following the other man up onto the roof of the trailer. Claire took the front to shoot the animals away and Vincent stayed on the back. Claire winced when she shot them, their cries of pain ringing in her ears. She didn't like harming them, but she had too. And that was all she said, until she felt the vehicle speed up and her sight landed on the broken bridge. She couldn't help herself.

"Vincent!" She cried out.

The man behind her looked up and saw the bridge. He grabbed onto the ladder behind him as Claire grabbed tightly to…whatever it was sticking out of the roof.. She glanced over her shoulder though, in time to see two Guardhounds jump after them as the vehicle flew through the air. Without really thinking, Claire let go and felt the vehicle fly past her as she aimed her gun. It felt strange to her, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw her life flash before her eyes. But as she watched the guardhound opened its mouth to bite Vincent, who was staring at her like she was crazy, she fired and shot and hit the beast in the head.

She hit the end of the truck and tried to grab something, but she couldn't so off the end of the truck she went. Claire clasped her hands together and closed her eyes praying for there to be a river she would land in at the bottom of the trench when her body hit something. She heard Vincent grunt on impact and then felt the arm weave around her waist, holding her against the man that had caught her.

Time seemed to slow down for a moment and she couldn't help but smile. Vincent had caught her. He had saved her. He was holding her! She felt her heart start pumping. She didn't struggle or move in fear of making the man lose his grip on her and fall to their deaths. Claire couldn't help but take in his smell every time she breathed. It was a musky smell that she had always enjoyed with a mix of his own scent. Her mouth began to water. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She opened her mouth to speak

Time seemed to return to normal and the vehicle crashed onto the other side, nearly falling off as Claire bit her tongue. When everything stilled, Vincent jumped from the trailer and gently set Claire back on her feet. He glanced her over quickly. "Are you all right?"

She opened her mouth to comment on her tongue but then shook her head with a small smile. "Yes, I'm all right. Are you?"

He nodded. "But if not for you, I wouldn't be. I didn't even notice it." He referred to the Guardhound.

She turned away a bit. "Thank you." She told him. "For saving me."

"Vincent was the one to shake his head now. "No, thank you."

They gazed at eachother for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to the other but all hopes of talk were gone when Reeve pushed the trailer doors open.

"Are you all right?" Vincent asked him.

"I'll be all right." Was his answer. "But that's more than I can say for the engine."

Claire sighed, crossing her arms. "Figures. Renee isn't here when you need her the most." She mumbled to herself as Reeve glanced over his shoulder worriedly.

"If possible, I want you two to continue on to Edge."

"Without you?" Claire looked surprised. "Why?"

"That transmission we just saw trouble me. Once I have repaired the Shadowfox, I'll need to return to headquarters. A WRO Squad has already been dispatched to Edge. Join them and help liberate the city."

"I guess we have no choice." Vincent sighed before turning to walk away."

Claire was still looking at Reeve. "Are you going to be all right by yourself?"

Reeve chuckled. "Of course. You needn't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"All right," She smiled. "If you insist. Just stay safe."

"I will, and you do the same." Reeve closed the trailer doors behind him and Claire turned to follow Vincent along the road.

_**~All the stories are over,**_

_**Chapters are done.**_

_**All this chaos around me**_

_**Always alone~**_

"**You know, I liked traveling with you better when you talked."** Vincent paused in the cave they were now walking through. He didn't look over his shoulder, knowing what her response would be. In truth, Vincent found that over the years that he missed Claire. Missed her voice. Missed her companionship and her remarks, whether cruel or not. He longed for both Claire and Lucrecia, to be around them both. But, Lucrecia…her death was his fault…for not being able to stop her. He had chosen to stay with her.

Had he made the wrong choice?

That was a comment that Claire had not foreseen. She opened her mouth to laugh but she stopped. She would not talk to him like they had been together instead of apart these last three years. No matter how much she wanted to. "Well," She decided to say instead. "I liked it better when we traveled before too. Back then, I wasn't being ignored for nearly three years."

"Look," Vincent sighed. "I know that-"

"You know, do you?" She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. "You have been in my dreams for nearly 20 years and I did everything that I could to release you. When you were, I was happy, think that…that we could…but for three years I've been waiting, Vincent. Three years. For a little visit, a call, hell, even a message sent through one of the others about how you've been doing, to know that you were still out there, but I got nothing. And then, after the attack from Kadaj and Karina, I was happy to see you again…to hear your voice. And I thought that you would stay after Zeke and Tifa's wedding. But you didn't. You left me. Again! You don't know just how much that hurt me. You can't just kiss me one night and then disappear for a whole year, Vincent. It doesn't work that way!"

Vincent watched as the enraged woman ranted, his arms crossed. "Are you done yet?" He finally asked and she gave him a glare. "You knew all about Lucrecia, ad you knew about how I felt about her. I am responsible for all that happened. I-" Vincent was cut off by Claire's phone again.

She sighed and answered it. "Hello? Oh, hey Tifa. How's the tyke?" She paused. "Well, that's good. "Well, that's good. Where's Zeke? Why? Oh, tell Barret I said 'yo' and that 'll see him next week, all right?" She paused again, accompanied by a giggle. "I'll be sure to tell him. Talk to you later." Claire flipped the phone shut and a glare returned to her face as she looked back at Vincent. She held the phone towards his face. "You see? That took two minutes! Why? Why couldn't you have done that, Vincent?" she put her phone away and walked past the man that couldn't answer her. "Let's just hurry up and get to Edge."

Vincent followed her in silence. What could he really say? 'I'm sorry' over and over again? No, he wouldn't do that. She would accept his apology soon enough and start talking again. She never could stay mad for too long. A couple of days at the most, but never too much longer.

Claire kept silent as they walked out of the cave and the Guardhounds attacked again. She took her frustration out on them. ~Am I being childish?~ She asked herself. ~Is my acting like this a bit much?~ Claire didn't know the answer but despite everything all her anger slipped away when Vincent was near. But why? Three years! He left her alone for three years to sit in a damn cave and stare at a dead woman in ice! In a cave that was supposed to be a place for the two of them, not him and Lucrecia!

Vincent had left her. Twice!

And she still loved him despite that fact. She couldn't help but smile at that thought as the Crimson hound was killed and they continued on their way. She would give Vincent, despite her brother and Jeanne's words, one more chance.

Strike three though, and he was out.

Claire paused at the clearing before she turned to look at the man behind her. "Vincent," She began slowly. He looked at her as she lost her words. What was she going to say again? Before she could figure it out, she watched the Pegasus Riders come flying off the cliff behind them and gasped. "Behind you!"

This fight was a little bit trickier than the others in the city had been. The Deepground attackers sped around the two of them, firing guns. But a plan quickly landed in Claire's mind. As Vincent kept shooting at the riders, she tried her best to dodge their own bullets as she ran towards them.

Luckily, their attackers were idiots.

From the practice that she had from doing this to her brother Cloud, and tons of luck, Clare was able to jump onto the back of one of the bikes and take control of the guns after the man in it was thrown off. After that, the enemies fell and Claire jumped off the hover bike, before it crashed into the cliff.

She moved her hair out of her face with a smirk dancing across her lips. "And you can thank Cloud for that!" She giggled. All those times that I had to jump on the back of his bike when he was going somewhere and he would try to leave without me." She ran hand through her hair and scratched her head before continuing to walk down the path with a smile." Come on, Vince. Let's get to Edge and see what's going on."

Vincent watched as Claire walked away and gave a small smile. Vince was the nickname only she used on him. She only used his full name when she was angry or worried about him. Calling him that told him that she had forgiven him.

For now.

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Silent Edge**_

**It was raining when they arrived in Edge. **And empty. Not a soul was to be seen; not even a WRO member. Claire wanted to run off to see if her house was okay but she restrained herself to worry about the people before it was her house. Pulling her wet hair off of the back of her neck, Claire kept a hand on her sword as they gazed around to corner, looking for any sign of movement.

"You don't think…they're all dead, do you?" She asked.

Vincent shook his head. "I don't know, but I think that-" He cut himself off and whipped around. His gun was pointed into the face of a woman while she had her own gun pointed right back at him.

The woman was wearing a white lab coat over a pink and blue skirt and tank top and blue heels. She had reddish hair and glasses with a closed left eye and a limp, robotic left arm. Claire saw the name tag on the woman's coat and placed a hand on the barrel of Vincent's gun. He lowered it.

"You work for WRO" She stated.

"Who's asking?" The woman asked, still pointing her gun. She then gave Claire better look. "I've seen you before. You and a couple of others are in a photo on Reeve's desk." She lowered her gun. "Did Reeve send you?"

"Yes." Claire answered. "He did. I'm Claire Strife and this is Vincent Valentine." She held her hand out with a smile.

The woman returned it and took her hand after putting her gun away. "My apologies. Shalua Rui, of the WRO. The commissioner has told me much about both of you."

"What happened here?" Vincent asked.

"That's what I would like to know. I'm here on other business but something's not right."

"Of course not." Claire growled. "I live here. It's way too quiet and I don't care if it dark and raining; there's always someone running around."

Shalua nodded in agreement as she walked around the two of them. "There's been no trace of Deepground or the squads that were sent to fight them. And the 500 people that are supposed to live here seem to have vanished." She paused. "Well this is getting us nowhere. Like I said, I have business to attend to. I'll see you around." She turned to walk away.

"Business?" Vincent wondered.

Shalua looked back at them. "The Commissioner keeps telling me I'm wasting my time searching."

"Searching for what?"

"My reason to live." She answered before walking away again.

"No, there's absolutely nothing creepy about that," Claire sighed, turning back to their mission.

Only two Deepground Beasts attacked them as they began to travel through the streets and alleys. Claire lived her so she knew the streets like the back of her hand so they quickly came across a wounded WRO member in an alley close to the house she shared with her brother and Jeanne. He was badly wounded and bleeding but it was too late to save him. Even Materia wouldn't…

"Ambushed…by…soldier…in red…" The man struggled to tell them. "Squad…wiped out…" Claire bit her tongue. It pained her to see anyone in such a state. "Warehouse…on the…edge of town…They…were gathering…civilians…"

Claire let out a cry as the man's line suddenly broke and covered her face with her hands as Vincent closed the man's eyes. It took her back to Nibelheim all those years ago, watching as her town was destroyed by Sephiroth and Sienna. It was like a repeat all over again!

~Soldier in red~ Rang through her head as she pushed herself off her knees. ~That soldier is mine!~

When they arrived to that city square, Vincent shot all the snipers down from the roofs and Claire slashed the Deepground members that were chasing down a young boy. It brought both Claire and Vincent flashbacks about the events from a year ago. What was really funny was that the boy the men were chasing, was one of the Geostigma infested that Kadaj had gotten his hands on. Almost like a repeat of itself, huh?"

"Barry!" Claire recognized the child. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

The boy stopped quivering and looked up at her. "Claire!" He sounded relieved before hugging her. Claire and Jeanne took care of the Geostigma children when they had them so of course they knew eachother. "You're here to fight those badguys, right?" Vincent nodded. "They took my family. They're through that gate. Do you have a card key?"

"No," Claire answered. "We don't. Jeanne has the only one that my house has.

"Come on," Barry walked past them. "I know someone who does. Follow me."

Claire looked at Vincent He only shrugged and followed the boy. Claire was a bit nervous for the boy's safety but followed as well. Of course more of the Deepground soldiers tried to kill them but they were no match for Vincent's aim and speed.

"Don't worry, Vince," Claire smiled as the followed Barry up the stairs of a house and back out into the rain and bridge like structure,. "When I get more bullets, I'll be able to help you some more."

2 Deepground Hounds jumped out of the window and tried to carry the boy off, but Claire's sword beat them quickly.

"Your sword is good enough help for me.." Vincent told her. "Just like before."

Claire gave him a little push as they reached a door. She remembered when Jeanne gave her this sword and then taught her how to use it. Some of the best memories ever, next to -"But who was it that told me and taught me to use a gun, huh?"

Vincent closed his eyes at her comment and shot another Deepground soldier. Barry picked up the keycard he dropped. "I did."

"Right. You did."

The young boy handed the women the keycard. "There," He said. "That should let your through."

Vincent gave him a small smile. "Right. Thanks, kid."

Barry lowered his head and the both watched. "Avenge…" He sobbed. "I couldn't do…" Vincent took a step forward to do something as the boy cried but he changed his mind. "Mom and dad…right there but I couldn't move…I was too scared…but…" Vincent couldn't take it. The young boy sounded so much like him on that horrible day. He kneeled down in front of him. "Please! Help me avenge their death!"

Claire watched as Vincent reached out to grab Barry's shoulder but he dropped his hand and just stood up and walked away. Barry watched him. Claire rolled her eyes and knelt in front of the child this time.

"You remember where my house is, right?" Claire asked him.

"Y-yeah," Barry wiped his eyes. "

"I want you to go there and wait for me, all right? Here," She pulled two phones out of her pocket. Her black one and then a blue one. She dialed a number in the blue one and then held it out to the boy. "If you get into trouble, or you get to the house before you run into any, I want you to call me." The boy reached out to take the phone. "I'll talk to you, come get you, understand? No matter what."

Barry looked like he was about to cry some more. "Promise?"

Claire smiled and hugged the child. "Promise. And if anyone but me answers it, ask for me and they'll find me."

Barry jumped into her arms. She hugged him back. She had a very special bond with the children that had gone through the Geostigma like she had. She didn't want to see them suffer anymore.

"I'll call you when I get there." Barry told her.

"Good. I'm sure that there's some food still in the kitchen and you can sleep in the first room on the second floor, okay?"

"Thank you, Claire. I don't know how to thank you. For all that you've done since Midgar fell…"

"Don't worry about it. We have to look out for eachother, right?" She ruffled his hair. "Now be careful and go get some rest, all right? I'll be by soon."

"You know," Vincent began as they watched Barry run off before continuing themselves. "Not many people carry two cellphones."

"Three." She corrected him.

"What?" He asked in surprise.

"I had three. I was bringing them back for Marlene and Denzel, but now there's only one so they'll have to share." S

She then sighed. "I hope Denzel likes pink."

Vincent let out a snort that sounded like a laugh he was trying to cover as they continued to walk.

When they made it to the steel stairs, they peered around the corner. They were lined with tons of Deepground soldiers and cans of gas. Claire got an idea.

"Vince, let me see your gun for a second." Vincent raised an eyebrow in suspicion. The last time that he had let her hold his gun things did not bode well for Ole' Cerberus. Claire blushed, knowing what he was thinking about. "I'm not going to run off with it and throw it off Cosmo Canyon again, I swear!"

"What are you going to do?" He asked, still in suspicion.

"Just trust me!"

Vincent sighed and handed her Cerberus. He watched cautiously as she aimed and fired. The cans of gas exploded, obliterating any signs of Deepground soldiers. Claire gave a happy squeal and laugh before handing back his gun.

"See, I told you to trust me. Now there's no one here to attack us."

Vincent shook his head. "True, but you also just gave off our position to all the other soldiers."

Claire's smile turned into a frown. "Have to ruin my fun, don't you?" She grumbled as she began walking up the stairs.

Vincent waited a moment before smiling, following her up. He admitted that he had missed her and if Lucretia wasn't in the line-wait! What was he saying? If he had never met Lucrecia, then he never would have had Hojo perform that sinful experiment on him and he never would have met Claire to begin with. And if he ever did then he would have been old and wrinkled. That was have been awkward. Can you say pedophile?

No, everything was-

Vincent's thoughts were cut off by more shooting. He put them on hold, fired back, and glanced around the fenced area they were now in. There was only one way out besides the way they had just come and it was a door. Vincent reached forward and pulled it open.

"Ladies first," He gestured with his free hand, Claire giggled and walked in.

He place was full of cargo boxes and seemed to be empty of all forms of life until Claire and Vincent walked further in. It was an ambush!

A large man from Deepground jumped down with two large guns on his back and attacked them while more soldiers fired from the rafters. Vincent took care of the shooters, leaving Claire with the big man.

"All right, seriously?" She placed her hand on her hips. As he pulled his gun off his back. "Do you really need a gun that big? Are you compensating for something?" There was no reply, but a fired bullet. Claire narrowly dodged it before drawing her sword. "All right, you don't like games. Let's just get this over with this." She waited patiently for him to fire again before running past it and behind him. Her sword easily slid through his side and he fell to the ground when she pulled it back out. "Where to now?" She asked Vincent. He said nothing, but mounted the stairs and headed for the exit door. She smirked and followed him. "Up is out." She quietly called to no one in particular.

It was still raining outside, and a woman, clearly with Deepground due to her clothes, with long red hair and a red, cape-like thing hanging from the back of her hips. Stood out in it, staring at the sky.

"You know," she said in an accent. "This is the first time I've ever felt rain on my skin. But then again, I haven't even seen the sky until a few days ago." She lowered her head and looked at her right hand after glancing at Vincent and Claire. "So you are Vincent Valentine, one of the Keepers of the Protomateria. And that means you are Claire Strife, the one Weiss wants.

Claire's face turned to shock. "What? Me? Why does he want me?"

"Protomateria?" Vincent asked. That sounded familiar…

"Yes," The woman decided to ignore Claire's questions and began to walk towards the two of them. "The key to controlling Omega. We know you have it." She held her hand out. "Hand it over and I'll kill you quickly." Vincent only stared at her and blinked once. She laughed. "Not one to bargain, are we? Then I'll make sure you suffer." She quickly, like a cheetah or something, ran behind Vincent and Claire, pulling out that strange weapon of hers. "Time to die."

Vincent pushed Claire out of the way and dodged the woman's attacks. He was even able to dodge the bullets that she fired at him but with that speed of her's, she ended up surprising him and punching him into a wall.

"Vincent!" Claire cried. She rushed forward, drawing her sword now. The woman in red laughed and attacked her next. It was then that she remembered what that WRO member had said. This had to be the Deepground soldier he had been talking about. That only made Claire angrier and she lost herself, allowing to have herself thrown into another wall herself, a thin, yet deep, cut from the woman's blades running across her chest.

"Ha!" The woman walked towards her. "That was easy. I don't see why Weiss would want you. You're so weak." She grabbed Claire by her hair and lifted her up. Claire grit her teeth and slowly reached behind her for the knife that she had in her back pocket. It was small but it got the job done when she stabbed it into the woman's arm. She let out a scream and dropped Claire back to the ground. Claire tried to stand up but was kicked in the face. "You are feisty, though. I give you that. And before I take you to Weiss, I shall teach you a few manners."

Claire tried to strike back, but he woman was strong and fast. Blow after blow came until, as she readied herself for the next one, they stopped. She watched as the woman in red backed away from her, holding her weapon up in defense as a pair of arms cradled Claire gently before lifting her from the ground.

It was Vincent holding the bloody and beaten woman, though he had transformed again. He looked more like a human this time, but he had large red wings and glowing eyes as a scar traveled down the side of his face.

Chaos.

"Vince?" Claire asked but she had to cover a fit of coughs.

As if enraged, the being holding her let out a large roar. An orb of red and white domed over the two of them. Claire closed her eyes, covering them with her hands as a fierce wind blew around them. When it settled down, she glanced around and saw that their attacker was gone and Vincent was once again his normal self, though breathing hard. She went to speak his name again but her chest began to throb in pain. She clutched it, all remembrance of the blood seeping from her body making its way back to her mind. Claire tried to say his name but her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and she fell limp.

Vincent knew she was in trouble and that he had to do something but he felt himself slipping away as well. He tried to take a step forward but he fell backwards instead. The last thing he saw was a pair of blue heels.

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	5. Chapter 4

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter Four**_

_**Headquarters Under Siege**_

**A cold hand ran over her face. **Claire didn't move, knowing who it was. It had been a couple of days since the events in Edge and Vincent had yet to wake up. Until now, anyway. Claire had taken a beating herself but the only really bad wound she had was the gash across her chest. She was fine though, just sleeping until Vincent placed his hand on her cheek.

"She's all right," Shalua's voice said. "She was awake before you. We bandaged her up but she refused to leave until you were awake and fine as well. She fell asleep a while ago though. I was just about to join her, too."

"Where are we?" Vincent asked as he turned away. For some reason, Claire couldn't find the will to move. She just laid there and listened.

"Safe inside the WRO Headquarters. I, surprisingly, carried you both back here from Edge after you collapsed from your fight with Deepground. If it hadn't been for a young boy named Barry coming to help, I never would have succeeded. The car didn't hurt, either."

Claire had already thanked Barry for his help. He was normally all over her.

"Barry?" Vincent asked. "Where is he now?"

"I sent him to get something to eat while Claire was sleeping. He's still worried about her. About both of you." Shalua paused for a moment. "It seems like the beast inside of you went a little wild back there. I'm surprised that you didn't hurt Claire back there? Does this happen often?"

"'Went wild'?" Vincent asked. "Do you mean Chaos?" Claire could see him hanging his head. "No…Chaos would never raise a hand against Claire. She's the only one he…"

"Chaos!" Shalua cried out in extreme shock. "Your body harbors the Chaos gene?" Claire could hear her start to pace. "Oh. So that explains your relationship with Dr. Lucrecia Crescent. Were you the product of one of her experiments?"

That woman again! Couldn't Claire ever get away from that horrible witch?

~What experiment is Shalua talking about?~

"Lucrecia's experiments?" It seemed that Vincent didn't know either.

"I apologize," The woman replied. "That wasn't what I meant." She began to pace again.

"Wait. Lucrecia was researching Chaos?" Vincent asked her.

"Don't tell me you didn't know." There was a click. "Crescent, ShinRa Class A scientist specializing in biotechnology. In her research thesis 'The Planet's Pulse', she refers to Chaos as one of the sentient xenoforms residing among us. However," Shalua began to pace again. "The theories that she presented in her work were so abstract and complex…" Claire found herself furious. The very thought of that woman just using Vincent as a research experiment like Hojo had Sienna and Sephiroth…

"Can I…see that thesis?" Vincent asked.

"Unfortunately, no." Shalua admitted. "On top of being obscure, it was never even submitted to the ShinRa database. All I know is what I saw while going through the company's archives."

Claire's mind went to Jeanne. She had a bunch of files and books from Sienna. Maybe…just maybe Jeanne had Crescent's files.

Claire's thoughts were cut off by a phone righting. It wasn't here's though.

"Hello?" Vincent answered. "Cloud." Her brother was calling Vincent? Where was her phone? "What makes you think she isn't?"….Yes, Cloud. Claire's fine. I would let you talk to her but-"

Vincent was cut off by the door opening and the sounds of footsteps.

"I heard about Claire and came as fast as I could," Reeve Tuesti's voice joined the room. "Is she still alive? Did you get it out?"

Vincent wanted to slap a hand to his face, but what Reeve had said caught his attention. ~Get it out? Get what out.?~ A recognizable laughter made Vincent remember that he still had Cloud on the phone.

"_Ho! Can you say busted?"_ Zeke's voice cried out before he started laughing again.

"_Vincent-"_ Cloud began, his voice full of rage.

"I'll call you back." Vincent pulled the phone from his ear.

"_VINCE-"_ Cloud's enraged yell was cut off.

"Ah, Vincent! Have you recovered all ready?"

Claire was caught off guard and closed her eyes again as Barry sat at her feet on the couch that she was laying on. Reeve had said that they had to remove something from her skin. What in the hell was that? What had happened?

"I'm fine," Vincent told the other man. "But what were you talking about? What did you have to 'take out' of Claire?"

Shalua sighed and walked back to her desk. She brought back a vial and handed it to Vincent. He held it up against the light and gazed at it. In the vial was a small, rectangular chip.

"We found this in her wound." Shalua began. "The one across her chest. We don't know what it's for but we weren't just going to leave it there. That Deepground member that you were fighting had to have been the one to place it there. It was a hassle to remove."

"But why? Why was it there?"

Reeve shook his head. "We don't know. But while you're out there together," He glanced at the woman and the child on the cough. "I would greatly appreciate it if you kept a closer eye on her. I would like it better if she stayed away from Deepground but after what's already happened I doubt that she will. So keep her close, okay?"

Claire gave a soundless sigh. Reeve was such a worry wart. But…what did Deepground plan to do with her? That woman said that Weiss was looking for her, but why? Was this another thing that had to do with Jeanne and Cloud or Sienna and Sephiroth? Or was this a totally different subject this time? The next time she saw one of them, she was going to beat some answers out of them.

Believing that now was the time to wake up, Claire pushed herself into a sitting position and stretched her arms, being careful not to open the large wound across her chest again.

"Claire!" Barry cried. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I'm okay," She told the child as she placed her feet on the ground. Barry gave a sigh of relief before a large smile spread across he his face. "That two-bit redhead didn't have anything on me. She just got lucky because I was distracted." Barry laughed and gave her a hug. Claire smiled. "It's good to see you too, Barry. She stood up and Barry grabbed her hand. She knew how he was feeling. His parents were dead now because of Deepground. He didn't have anyone to turn to. Claire made a promise to herself that she was going to take care of him, just like they were doing for Denzel and Marlene. "So, Reeve,:" Claire smiled at the other man. "What did I miss?"

"So," Reeve rubbed his chin after Vincent finished the story. "Rosso the Crimson told you that Protomateria is the 'key to controlling Omega'?"

"So, her name's Rosso, is it? Good. Now I know what name to put on her tombstone when I get done with her." Claire growled.

"Yeah," Vincent nodded in return to Reeve's question.

"Any ideas?" The man asked Shalua.

She glanced at Vincent for a moment before looking away. "Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens."

"Where did you-" Reeve looked at the woman in shock.

"Something tells me that this has something to do with Crescent, right?" Claire sighed, avoiding Vincent's look. "She seems to be involved with a bunch of what's happened over the last ten years."

"Yes," Shalua nodded. "It's a passage from her thesis. But that's all I know. Unfortunately, I only saw a fragment of the document. However, Chaos…Omega…and…" She glanced at Vincent and they all got what she was trying to say. "All seem to be connected to Dr. Crescent in some way. There's no other explanation. So was Sienna."

"Sienna?" Claire raised a brow. "What does she have to do with this?"

"I'm not sure but if I were to see her thesis I'm sure that everything would be explained." Shalua shook her head. "We need to gather more data on her to get anywhere."

~I need to call Jeanne later and see if she has those papers.~ Claire told herself with a frown.

"So, say we found her thesis. What would-" Claire was cut off by an alarm going off. "Well that's not good."

"What now?" Reeve growled.

"What do you think?" Claire let go of Barry's hand. "Your Headquarters have been found, Reeve."

"She's right," Shalua sighed. "Damn!" She pulled up a camera on her computer and they watched as Deepground members flew through the halls. She slammed doors shut on them but a few had gotten through and she was sure that it wouldn't take too long for more to break in.

"Reeve," Claire looked at the man. "Can I trust you to keep an eye on Barry while Vincent and I go out there and handle this?"

Reeve nodded. "Not a problem."

"Be careful!" The child called after them as they exited the doors.

"Are you all right?" Vincent asked as they moved down the hall.

"Never better!" Claire smiled, reaching behind her back and grabbing Jeanne's sword. "Don't worry, Vince. I'll be fine."

"Try not to reopen your wound." The man told her as he grabbed Cerberus.

"You don't have to tell me that twice," She sighed.

They hurried through the halls until they came upon the ground floor of the Headquarters where all the fighting was taking place. With a yell, Claire ran out onto the ground, slicing through the Deepground as the WRO members and Vincent fired from behind.

~Damn, Jeanne's training sure does come in handy often!~

They made their way up the floors after clearing all of the Deepground off of the others and on the sixth floor moved through a door to find a short hall with a woman hiding behind the corner as shots were fired at her.

"Mr. Valentine! Miss. Strife!" The WRO woman looked relieved as the bullets continued to come through at them. "A sizeable enemy unit is heading straight for the command center. Please, you have to help the commissioner!"

Vincent moved forward quickly and took care of the men shooting before Claire followed after him after assuring the woman they would save Reeve. There were a group of the Deepground members splattered through the hall but they took care of them and reached Reeve's office quickly.

"Take that!" Claire jumped at the high voice and stared in shock as a Deepground man was tossed outside of the room. She sighed and shook her head with a smile at the sight of Cait Sith walking out of the office, hands on his hips, Reeve and Barry right behind him.

"You little stinker," Claire gave the small cat a boot.

Reeve chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine here. But just so you know, The Tvviets…Azul is still on the loose?"

"That big guy?" Claire shuddered. "I don't even want to think about what he's going to do."

"Don't worry, you'll get him!" Barry smiled, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Aww, your faith in us is amazing." Claire ruffled the boy's hair. "Just stay here with Reeve. I'm going to have someone come and get the moment they return to Edge and take you home, okay?"

Barry liked that and Reeve escorted him back to the office and the two of them left the hall again and got to the stairs.

"Vince," Claire waved the man over and pointed down to the first floor. Azul was standing below before heading off to a door to the left. "Well, we found big-man."

They hurried back down to the first floor and followed Azul through the door and the halls that were behind the door, saving a few WRO members that they came across but Azul was nowhere to be seen as they reached the large room at the end.

"Now how in the hell can that big-ass monkey disappear into thin air?" Claire asked as she paused in her steps, tapping her foot as she glanced around. She then spotted Shalua. "Hey, if you're here then he didn't come-"

The Doctor whipped out a gun and pointed at Vincent. "Don't move." The man froze. Claire was about to open her mouth to speak again when a second voice replied.

"Very perceptive of you."

Claire watched as a child walked out from behind Vincent. "Hey! You're the brat that was with Azul last time!" She then took notice of how she and Shalua looked very similar as Vincent pushed her behind the doctor.

"I knew it." Shalua sounded breathless. She lowered her gun. "Shelke."

The child stared back in silence for a moment. "I have no acquaintances in the WRO."

"We…we've both changed so much." Shalua looked like she was about to cry. "No…you haven't changed at all. Not in ten years."

Claire and Vincent seemed to put it together and exchanged a look. This was who Shalua had been looking for. But who was she?

"Shelke, it's me. Shalua!" The child turned away as the woman hung her head. "I've been searching for you for so long." She moved towards her but the child pulled out one of her sabers, it glowing orange in electricity.

"Don't take another step."

"Shelke?"

"It doesn't matter who I am or who you are." The child began as she pulled out her other saber. "My current mission as a Deepground soldier is all that is relevant."

"No," Shalua shook her head. "It does matter! Even though ten years have passed, you're still Shelke, my only sister!"

~that explains why they look so much alike~ Claire silently commented.

Shelke stared at her for a moment before lowering her sabers and hanging her head. "Ten years. Has it been that long?" She paused for a moment. "The day they came to take me away, I was told I had potential. But those words were nothing but a precursor to a decade of suffering. They manipulated my mind until I was a shadow of my original self. The pain. The fear. For ten years I lived in a hell far deeper than any you could imagine. But look at me. I should be 19 this year. If I don't receive my daily dose of Mako, this body wouldn't last a day. Except, I don't consider myself the least bit unfortunate." Shelke continued. "Except that for so long I held on to a foolish thread of hope that someday someone would come to save me."

Shalua hung her head, her voice trembling as she fell to her knees. "I'm sorry, Shelke. I'm so sorry."

"It's time to put the past behind us." Shelke replied.

"Dear lord," Claire shook her head and glanced at Vincent. "Does this brat think she's the only one that's suffered?" She turned back to Shelke as she glared at the older woman. "Complain all you want about what you've been through but do it to someone who cares. I know people who have gone through WAY more stuff WAY worse than you and yet they're not trying to kill people like you and your little posse is. Take your pity party somewhere else.

"Stop this!" Reeve ran forward. Barry wasn't with him this time so he had to be hidden or with other WRO members.

"Reeve Tuesti," Shelke glanced at the man.

"So, you are Shalua's younger sister." Reeve took a step forward.

"Excellent," The child ignored him. "Now I can terminate both of you at once."

"Look at her." Reeve tried to reason. "That's the prince Shalua has paid fighting ShinRa for the past ten years. She has given more than her arm, more than her eye. She has put her life on the line time and time again. All to find her lost sister. More than half her organs have been reconstructed. Not a day goes by when Shalua doesn't suffer the pain of a hundred souls. But still, she…"

Claire found herself slipping back to Jeanne. That woman had been hurt time and time again as well. Would Jeanne be like Shalua if she didn't have Mako inside of her? If all those tests that Hojo had performed on them hadn't of been done? Would Jeanne, would any of them, still be alive today if that were the case?

"Enough." Shelke sighed. "I've…I've heard enough." She lifted her sabers again and Vincent pulled out Cerberus but Reeve shot a sprinkler above them, raining water down on them all. Shelke still went to hit her sister but the electricity faltered on her sabers.

"Vincent, Reeve, get her out of here," Claire told the others. "I'll take care of her." Nodding, Vincent picked Shalua up and led her away with Reeve as they made for the large doors as the water stopped falling.

"All right, brat." The blonde reached up and pulled out her sword. "Let me show you what a real blade can do." Shelke was fast, there was no doubt about that, but Claire had practice on Yuffie; she was the fastest of the entire group with all her flips and twirls in the air. Shelke's orange sabers didn't touch Claire once but Claire's blade landed all she needed; One good, hard whack to the back of her head.

"And that's why I'm the best," Claire grinned, shooting a peace sign as the child fell to the ground.

"Shelke!" Shalua ran forward to her sister.

"Are you all right?" Vincent asked as they moved away to give Shalua some time alone.

"Yeah, you know that I am." She told him with a small smile as they moved through the hall. Reeve was ahead of them, thinking in silence until there was a huge crash.

"HOLY SWEET MOTHER!" Claire cried. They turned to see that Azul had decided to fall from the ceiling behind them. Claire glanced at the hole. "How in the hell did your big ass fit in that?"

"We meet again," Azul grinned at Vincent, ignoring the woman's comment. "Answer me this. Do you know why you even exist?" Vincent just stood there and stared at him. "Hmph. Just as I thought. Ignorant to you own destiny. Very well. I'll show you what you really are. And then I'll take the woman back with me." Azul walked forward and Vincent shot at him, sending off a huge cloud of dust. Azul wasn't harmed, though because of his Mako shield. "Hmph. You think that they can penetrate my armor? Enough of the games, Vincent. Give me the Protomateria and the woman."

"What in the hell do you want with me?" Claire demanded. "Why me? What did I do?"

Azul grinned. "Only Weiss and Nero can answer that question for you."

~Nero?~ something hit Claire's head. ~No…it, it couldn't be…~

"Nero?" Her voice gave a small shake.

Vincent gave the woman beside him a look. "Claire,-"

"Guys! Over here!" Reeve called and they took off, Azul right behind them. For a big guy, the man could run; Vincent was just faster. He grabbed a rocket launcher and fired it. Reeve and Claire dodged out of the way and let the rocket hit Azul as Vincent was thrown off his feet.

"You shouldn't leave those things lying around." Vincent told Reeve. He chuckled.

"Uh, guys," Claire grabbed her sword. "It's not over yet." Azul was still standing as he laughed but his shield was gone. Claire's eyes grew at the sight of his gun. "Now how is that fair?"

"Well done. You have broken through my barrier."

"This ends here. Leave him to me." Vincent told the other two.

"Are you sure?" She asked him. Vincent gave her a nod and pulled Cerberus out. "You got it. Kick his ass for me." She turned and moved after Reeve.

"Don't run too far now, little flower." Azul chuckled after her.

"Don't call me that!" Claire growled.

Vincent looked at the large man with a frown. "I want you to tell me everything about why they want Claire."

"I told you before, it's Nero and Weiss that know, not me. You can ask them when you meet them. If you meet them." He grinned, pulling the nose of his cannon up and firing.

_**~Pour some sugar on me**_

_**Ooh, In the name of love **_

_**Pour some sugar on me**_

_**C'mon fire me up~**_

"**And where are we going?"** Claire smiled. She and Reeve found Vincent walking towards the front door. Azul was in containment and Shelke was still knocked out; Claire had apparently hit harder than she had thought. Everything was going all right for now as the WRO put everything back into order and cleaned up after the invasion.

The man paused for a moment, deciding whether or not to reply. "Nibelheim."

Claire looked surprised. "Why?"

"ShinRa Manor?" Reeve asked. "But that's where…" He shot a look at the woman with them before sighing. "Understood. However, be on your guard. We have reports of Deepground units deployed in that area."

"Then it would be a good idea for us to use the sewer system that extends from the Mako Reactor." Claire told him.

"Sewer?" Vincent repeated. "How appropriate is that?" He turned to leave but stopped when Claire followed him. "You're not coming." He told her.

Claire placed a hand on her hip. "Says who?"

"I do."

"You can't tell me what to do, Vincent." Claire growled with an angry look. "I can go where I want and I say that I'm going to Nibelheim with you. You won't be able to find your way through that little place without me and you know it! You'll be lost in that damn sewer for days."

"And you know how to get through them?" He asked her.

"Yes, I do. Cloud and I both. That's one of the places we played. Don't get me wrong, the smell was bad but when we didn't wanted to be found no one would even dare look for us there. Just face it; I'm coming and you can't stop me."

"She's got you there, Vincent." Reeve chuckled. "Her mind's set. Just take her."

Vincent sighed and turned to the door again, giving up in the argument. Claire gave Reeve a quick farewell and followed after the other, a large smile on her face hiding the worry in her head.

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	6. Update

_**My apologies on their not being chapters submitted in the last week or so. My Grandfather is in the hospital so I have not been writing as of now. I'm not leaving but just give me a few more days before I can give you guys some more chapters. I'm really sorry about this but You are all just going to have to wait. It won't be long before I'm back and I hope that you guys can wait just a little longer :)**_


	7. Chapter 5

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**I would like to thank for the wishes on my grandfather. The Surgery went fine but he will not be able to live on his own for a few months for now. I'm moving down to take care of him so my updates won't be often for a little while but they will be coming, I promise :)**

_**Chapter Five**_

_**Manor of Despair**_

"**God, I hate this smell. **Vincent, walk over there. You're making me sick." Claire waved a hand in front of her nose. "It's going to take forever to clean your clothes! Why do you smell so bad! It worse than me!"

"Did you forget? You made me carry you through the water so you wouldn't touch it." Vincent reminded the woman beside him.

"Well, I didn't want to touch it. It's disgusting."

Vincent sighed as they continued to move up the ladder. He motioned the woman to be silent when he saw the Deepground soldier standing above them and quickly took him down. They had to take down the others in the room as well, hiding behind the stacks of boxes before finally making it to the elevator that would take them to their next point. Claire stood there in silence as Vincent was lost in his memories again. Something told her that it was about Lucrecia again. It was always about her…

Claire knew that, even if her wishes of Vincent were to be granted, Lucrecia was still going to be with the man she loved. It was just like Zack was always going to be with Jeanne and Aerith would be with Cloud. I appeared that the twins were definitely practically the same.

"Let's go," She sighed as the elevator finally stopped. Vincent said nothing and just moved out into the hall. There were two doors so Claire picked one and opened the door.

She gave a small smile. This was the library. She remembered Sephiroth and Sienna sifting through the books here all those years ago, looking for answers.

_**The other room that they were looking for was just down the way.**__ The first part was a large lab with some table and files and large lights. To the left there was a hall lined with bookshelves that led into another room that was just full of more books and shelves and a desk._

_Sienna's face was buried into one of the books at the desk while Sephiroth paced around the Lab with one of his own, flipping pages._

_"A life form in the state of suspended animation excavated from a 2000-year-old stratum." Sephiroth was reading out to himself and Sienna. "Professor Gast named this life form Jenova…" He flipped the page and paced across the lab again. Sienna glanced up at him as they both ignored the presence of Zack, Jeanne, and Claire. "Date X/X/XX – Jenova verified as an Ancient…Date: X/X/XX – Jenova Project approved. Mako Reactor 1 authorized for use…" He walked down a row of cases towards Sienna and the desk. "My mother's name, Jenova…the Jenova Project…Could this be a coincidence…" He lowered the book and slowly lifted his head to look at the ceiling. "Professor Gast…Why didn't you tell me? Why did you die?"_

_"Jenova life form now resides within The Mt. Nibel Reactor, locked away." Sienna flipped a page in her own book. "Date: X/X/XX – Both tests have been performed. Date: X/X/XX – Test Subject One has come. It's strength amazing. Subject 2 has yet to move, though it still grows. Must wait a little longer." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Who were the two subjects? Was that…?" She couldn't continue as Sephiroth watched her and cradled her head in her arms._

_"Sienna?" Jeanne took a step forward. "Is there something that you would like to eat or drink? Something that I could get you?"_

_"We would like to be alone." Sephiroth responded instead, glaring at the floor beneath his feet._

Sephiroth and Sienna were turned into the enemies that they were. Though they cause so much panic and destruction, she still felt sorry for the both of them. Why did this all have to happen?

Dammit, this was all Hojo's fault! It was all his fault! Everything!

At a weird sound, Claire turned to watch Vincent pick up some Materia that rolled to him. It then gave off a bright light and began to glow. She shielded her eyes. "What the-" Her voice stopped at the look on Vincent's face. "What is it?"

"Lucrecia." Was his answer.

Claire frowned. "Really? Do I-"

"_Vincent, right?"_

Claire turned behind her and moved out of the way, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the woman in the white lab coat. ~I…I thought Sienna killed her?~ Claire stared at Lucretia.

"_Have you come to check up on me?"_ Lucrecia asked. Lucrecia then moved forward. Vincent opened his arms to embrace the woman but she passed right through him, like a hologram. ~oh, that explains,~ Claire sighed in relief. _"Omega." _She sighed. _"His awakening is upon us."_

~Omega?~ Claire asked herself. ~Where have I heard that before?~

"_Soul wrought of terra corrupt. Quelling impurity, purging the stream to beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos, Omega's squire to the lofty heavens. I came across this passage while studying the scriptures of the Ancients. The Chronicles of Yore. Omega. The End. Just as all the other sentient begins, he too, is born of the Lifestream. However, his only purpose it so cleanse the planet of all things living and lead their immortal souls through the abyssal aether to a new beginning far, far beyond the never ending sea of stars, just as life circulates through our planet, so too, does our planet through the universe. Or at least in theory. However, what I can be certain of is, if Omega wakens, then all life as we know it will end. And when Omega has embarked on his journey to the Cosmos, our planet will wither and die. I will leave a copy of my records for you here, Vincent." _Lucrecia told him._ "Though I cannot imagine what help they might be, if any at all, just remember…" _She hung her head before disappearing._ "I am so sorry."_

Claire turned away as Vincent called for the dead woman. Was she just being stupid? Would Vincent ever…"

"Let's go look for these files," Claire told the man before turning to lead the way out of room. She froze and jumped back behind the door again with a glare. "Dammit! Deepground is here!"

Vincent stayed silent throughout the entire movement through the mansion as they fought off Deepground soldiers and searched for the files that Lucrecia had been talking about. Claire finally got tired of it.

"We've searched all over Vincent," Claire scowled. "Her files aren't here!"

"They have to be," the man in red argued as he searched through a desk that he had searched twice before.

"Maybe…maybe Sienna found them! Maybe she found them and gave them to Jeanne." Claire gripped her chin as she thought.

"No, I read all the files that Jeanne had. They weren't there."

"Well, maybe Jeanne kept them from you, Vincent. You never know." Claire argued. "I'm telling you that they're not here!" She turned to the next door. She knew where this was going to lead them. This was through the caves to the stairs that led to the upper mansion. "But they could be upstairs."

Vincent sighed and stood up to follow the blonde woman into the caves. Claire stayed silent as more of those lizard men attacked them but something caught the corner of her eye. It was really hard to miss. Pushing a certain door open as Vincent continued to fighting the hall, the woman smiled at the sight of a coffin in the center of the room. Claire knelt down and ran her hand over it. She remembered everything here, too…

_**Claire turned to the large door and held her breath as she entered the key and turned it.**__ She feared that it would always do what it had done before but this time, the door opened. Claire felt her hands shaking as she slowly pushed the door open. The others, who learned the tale from Cloud the night before, decided to stay back and watch from outside as the brother and Jeanne entered the room with her._

_There were multiple coffins in the spider-web-infested room, but the only coffin that meant anything to Claire was the one in the middle of the room, closed. It was almost as if it had been waiting on her and so, she stepped towards it. She reached out to touch the top of it, to pull it off, but -_

_"…To wake me from the nightmare…" A man's deep voice sounded around the room; it sent shivers down Claire's spine. The three of them jumped as the lid was thrown off of the coffin. "Who is it?" A man sat up from the velvet cloth of the coffin, and stared at them all._

_Jeanne pulled a confused face. Why did this man…make her think of Sienna? Why did they…look similar? Or was it just because they had the same colored hair?_

_When the man would stand, he would reach 6 feet tall with long, silky black hair like Sienna and crimson eyes. There was a red hand on his head with his hair falling over it. He wore a tattered red cape, held in place over his shoulders and his lower face by several buckles. Beneath the cape he wore everything else in black from his neck to his feet with several more straps and buckles. There was a gun and a holster on his right leg and pointed, gold sabatons on his feet. On his left arm was a golden gauntlet with claw-like fingers._

_No. It was something else. Something else about him. Jeanne could practically see Sienna's face in this man. But why?_

_"…Never seen you before." The man voiced. "You must leave."_

_Claire just stared at him, lost for words so Cloud took a step forward for his sister. "You were having a nightmare." He told him._

_"Hmph…a nightmare…?" The man glanced down at his legs for a moment. "My sleep has given me time to atone."_

_"Atone?" Claire finally found her voice. The man's head slowly lifted and turned. She held her breath as his red eyes seemed to burn into hers. Thank God he looked away; her knees were starting to shake._

_"I have nothing to say to strangers." The man replied. "Get out." For some reason, that hurt Claire a lot more than it should have. "This mansion is the beginning of your nightmare."_

_Jeanne scoffed. "Tell me about it," She sighed._

_The man turned back to her. "What do you know?"_

_It was Cloud that answered this time. "Like you said, this mansion is the beginning of a nightmare. No, it's not a dream, it's for real. Sephiroth and Sienna have lost their minds. They found the secrets that were hidden in this mansion and they…" He was cut off by the man in red._

_"Sephiroth? And Sienna?"_

_All four looked at each other and asked the same thing. "You know Sephiroth and Sienna?"_

_The man in red finally stood up and Jeanne took notice of the gun that was hanging on his right leg. "You start first." He told the three of them._

_Cloud and Claire both turned and look at Jeanne. She couldn't help but give a little smile as she opened her mouth. As she stood there, looking at and talking to the man, the more he looked like Sienna. Was it strange to say that a man looked like a woman?_

_"…That's how it was." Cloud said after Jeanne had finished._

_"So Sephiroth knows he was created…Sienna too." The man in red thought for a moment. "And about the Jenova project?"_

_"Yes," Claire couldn't take her eyes off the man. "They both disappeared about five years ago but they've just popped back up again. They're doing everything that they can to try to find the Promised Land."_

_"Now it's your turn." Cloud pointed at him._

_But the hottie in red (yes he is a very extreme hottie) decided that he wasn't going to say anything. "Sorry…I cannot speak."_

_"Hey! That's dirty!" Aerith yelled from the door the others were all watching from._

_The man sat back down in the coffin. "Hearing your stories, has added upon me yet another sin. More nightmares shall come to me now, more than I previously had. Now…please leave." He went to lie down but Claire moved forward, throwing her hands on the edge of the coffin._

_"Who are you?" She asked. She had to ask. This was the man that had been haunting her dreams since she was a child! She couldn't just find him and then leave him here!_

_"I was with…the ShinRa manufacturing Department in Administrative Research, otherwise known as-"_

_"The Turks," Jeanne said. He nodded._

_"Tell us your name. Please." Claire was practically begging the guy. Jeanne could tell that he didn't want to say anything else and hid a smirk as he sighed._

_"Valentine. Vincent Valentine."_

_"Valentine?" Jeanne's eyes grew wide as her hand lowered and gripped the bag she constantly carried. ~Could it be…?~_

_"You were a Turk?" Cloud demanded._

_"Formerly. I have no affiliation with ShinRa now." He looked at the three of them. "And you?"_

_Jeanne lowered her hand off of the bag. "Jeanne Rush. Formerly of SOLDIER and student under Sienna and Sephiroth." She bit her tongue as the twins introduced themselves._

_"You three were also with ShinRa?" Vincent asked. "Then do you know Lucrecia?"_

_"Who?" The twins echoed each other._

_"Lucrecia." He repeated._

_Cloud and Claire shook their heads but Jeanne glanced away. Vincent stared at her in silence before she sighed. "I don't know her personally, but I know who you're talking about. She's the one that gave birth to Sephiroth."_

_"Wasn't Jenova Sephiroth's mother?" Cloud asked._

_Jeanne shook her head as Vincent responded. "That isn't completely wrong, but just a theory."_

_Jeanne glanced down at the books on her side. ~Not anymore~_

_"He was born from a beautiful lady," Vincent continued. "That lady was Lucrecia." They could all see just from that that there was a little something special to Vincent about Lucrecia. "She was an assistant to Professor Gast of the Jenova Project. Beautiful…Lucrecia."_

_Jeanne narrowed her eyes. Gast was just as big a part of this as Hojo was. Half of her was rather glad that Sienna killed that man all those years ago; too bad it wasn't before Aerith was born._

_"A human experiment?" Cloud asked._

_"They both were," Jeanne told the man beside her. "I've told you this. Several times."_

_"I don't remember ever hearing about that," The Blond replied._

_"I couldn't…I couldn't stop her." Vincent's tone fell as he stared down at the claw on his left hand. "That was my sin. I let the one I loved, the one I respected most, face the worst."_

_Jeanne felt a sudden, small connection to the man in red. She felt responsible for what happened to Zack as well, she just didn't seem to think that just sleeping would forgive her for it._

_"So you decided to sleep?" Zeke stuck his head into the room. "How fucking stupid does that sound?"_

_Vincent gave him a glared before the lid of the coffin shut again; Claire moved her hands just in time._

_"Hey, wait!" Claire tried to push the lid off. "Wait a second!"_

_"Just go!"_

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Zeke decided to take a step into the room now, a frown on his face. "So you're telling me, Mr. Valentine, that after all that's happened, you're going to just lay there and take it? You're not going to do anything?"_

_The lid of the coffin shot off again and Vincent sat back up. "What I do has nothing to do with you."_

_"No, but it's got something to do with her," Everyone looked surprised when he pointed at Claire. Vincent looked at her again. "This girl has been having you floating in a blue tube haunting her dreams since she was a child and she has been trying for years to free you from this damn room. And now, when she finally gets to set you free, we find out that you weren't even trying to get free and that you're 'sleeping' away your sins?" He demanded. "How sad." Zeke's arm wrapped around Claire's shoulder. "Come on. This was just a waste of time. Let emo-vampire boy stay here and 'sleep away his sins'." He led the woman away and Jeanne scratched her head as the others all filed down the hall._

~Such an ass when he first woke up but then again Zeke is an ass to everyone.~ Claire chuckled.

"Claire, what are you…" Vincent's voice faltered as he gazed around the room that she was sitting in. She glanced up at him to see that he had closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What was he thinking about? He might have been dragged back to the very spot that she was thinking about too…

_**"Wait!"**__ Everyone turned to see Vincent standing behind them. Claire couldn't help but grin and get excited. "If I go with you will I meet Hojo?"_

_~Why is it that everyone's after Hojo?~ Claire thought to herself, looking at Jeanne and Zeke. ~What did he…oh wait, that's right…~_

_"Dunno," Cloud shrugged. "But we're after him and Sephiroth and Sienna. So, I guess sooner or later…"_

_Vincent turned, muttering that woman's name again. He faced them again. "All right. I've decided to go with you."_

_"Wait, what?" Barret raised an eyebrow._

_"Why should we let you come?" Zeke asked. " After all, you were an ass in your little tomb back there."_

_"Do as you like," Jeanne told him, turning to continue down the path. "But be warned; Hojo is mine."_

_"The hell he is!" Zeke hurried off after the woman in white. "Hojo is mine! No one is killing him but me!"_

_Claire shook her head with a sigh as they all moved to follow after them. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Vincent had decided to stay in the back of the group and paused to fall back and talk to him but Cloud grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her behind him; anything and everything coming out of his mouth to start a conversation._

_She sighed and continued to walk. She would attack Vincent with questions the very next moment that she could._

"**I always hated these damn stairs,"** Claire cursed as they traveled up to the actual mansion. Her voice dragged her companion out of his thoughts and he gave a silent sigh. "How do you know this place so well?" He asked her.

Claire paused for a moment at the top of the stairs. "I spent most of my childhood with Cloud here," She smiled. "We traveled all over this place, though my brother never traveled down below with me when I found your locked room. It's still as creepy as ever."

"Found my room?" Vincent asked her. He had heard her tell the story before but…

"Yeah," she nodded, stepping into the next room before they walked through the halls some more. They talked like they didn't even notice they were fighting off Deepground soldiers. "I was too short to reach the clues on your doorway at first but when I came back to Nibelheim with Jeanne and Zack nearly ten years ago I began to break the code before Sephiroth and Sienna went crazy and killed everyone. When we returned years later is when I finally got the key to your room. I'm pretty sure that you remember what happened after that." The man nodded and stopped for a moment, deciding which room to search next. "Here, this is the computer room," She told him, opening the door. Vincent slid in past her but then fell to his knees. Claire caught him. "Are you all right?"

"This pain." He lifted a hand to his head.

"Well, well, we meet again."

"Not you again." Claire growled at Rosso as the red-head stood across from them. Vincent stood back up and placed himself between the two women.

Rosso chuckled. "This is perfect. I so wanted to see you, my loves."

Claire pulled a face. "Sorry, I don't swing that way."

"Deepground." Vincent cut into the chase. "What are they attempting to do with Omega?"

"I don't know," The redhead answered. "And to be honest, I don't care."

"That's surprising." Claire admitted.

"This is what Weiss desires." Rosso shrugged. "Hail Weiss. And what Weiss orders, we do. It is very simple. If he desires the awakening of Omega, then that is what all of Deepground desires. We could care less what happens to the planet. But all this matters little to me. It isn't every day you are granted the chance to cleanse the world of all life. Just the thought sends a chill of excitement through my body."

Claire stared at this woman. She was a freak but at the same time her life had made her that way; people involved with ShinRa Inc. often seemed to endure those results.

"The Deepground soldiers were born and bred to kill. We were chained to a destiny of servitude. But then three years ago, we were freed from our chains-though waiting for us was darkness lit only by the faint glow of Mako. And what do you think we did when we gained our freedom?"

"Went psycho and killed in a rampage?" Claire offered.

"Correct." Rosso chuckled. "This is how we were raised. That is all we knew. And so I bathed in the blood of a thousand soldier."

"What were you trying to do? Turning into a Youkai?" The blonde woman asked.

(XD, I couldn't help it. I'm watching Saiyuki at the moment. Hakkai fans will know what I'm talking about ;)~)

"I enjoyed it, I reveled in it. And when I finally stepped out of the abyss I craved for more. You understand, right?" She asked Vincent.

Vincent pointed Cerberus at her. "I don't think so."

"How can you say that, darling?" Rosso asked. "We're one and the same, and the sooner you hand her over she will be too." Rosso jumped back through the doorway behind her. Vincent gave chase after her, Claire right behind him, but a large machine cut them off with bombs but they quickly followed right to the main area of the manor. The machine was waiting for them, crawling all over the walls and ceiling as it jumped on them and fired lasers. Claire got caught in the arm with one of them before Vincent's Cerberus finally took it down off the roof.

"Why isn't Cid or Renee here?" Claire panted, holding the wound in her arm. "They could've taken that bastard out in moments." She kicked at the ground. She wanted to see all the others so bad right now. They were all gathering for her and Cloud's birthday on the 19th so she only had to wait about a week longer.

"Are you okay?" Vincent asked her, moving across the room.

"Yeah, I'm fi-" she lifted her head to see that the woman in red had joined them again. "Vince!" Her call was too late as Rosso drove her hand in his chest and ripped something out. It was a large orb of some kind.

"I'm sorry. Were you not expecting that?"

"Vincent!" Claire hurried to him but caught herself as the man was engulfed in red again and transformed into Chaos. She3 wasn't sure if touching him in this form would be a good idea. Last time she did…

_**Vincent let out a yell as ice began to grow from the floor, encasing Lucrecia as Sienna glared at her.**_

_"That's not ice," Claire whispered to herself as they woman struggled to break free but the struggle was futile. "That's crystal. Mako crystal."_

_"For seven years," Sienna removed her hand from her throat and stepped back. "For seven years Sephiroth has been in pain beyond belief, because of YOU. Because you did nothing. You could have stopped Hojo if you wanted to, you just refused to. Your nothing but a monster; just like him." She pulled a disgusted face at the woman as the crystal finished engulfing the woman. "The crystal will suck her life away…it will take years but she'll suffer through all of it…just like Sephiroth had to."_

_"No!" Vincent ignored his bleeding and ran at the crystal, banging on it and trying to break it but nothing worked. "No! Let her go!"_

_"And you two," Sienna ignored Vincent's cries. She opened her mouth to say something but then smirked, shaking her head. "I'll deal with the rest of you fools later." She turned to leave the cave but Vincent lunged at her, ordering her to free Lucrecia. Sienna wasn't taking it this time and out her blade came out just to be slid in through Vincent's stomach._

_"Vincent!" Claire screamed. She watched as the man in red crumbled to the floor before glaring at the other woman before running at her herself._

_Sienna didn't even bother looking at the other woman before knocking her away as she made her way towards the exit. She came to a halt though as a strange aura decided to join them. Sienna turned again with a smile on her face as she looked at Vincent. He was encased in a green light before it burst off of him, leaving his transformed state. Vincent now had leathery wings sprouting out his back with a large, red headdress-like object with scars running down the side of his face as his eyes glared a golden red. Claire halted herself, she knees shaking._

_"Well, well, here's the little experiment that I've read about," Sienna chuckled as she stared at the man. "This is what I get to look forward too, hmm?" She glanced over at Claire before her grin grew worse. "Let's see just how far your mind has lost itself."_

_And then, she was gone. Claire was confused about what she was talking about before Vincent had turned to look at her before he jumped. Claire swallowed._

"So, you cannot control the beast without this." Rosso grinned. "Good, no interruption this time." She chuckled. Taking a step forward she had to stop as a gunshot landed at her feet. Glancing up she frowned. "How could I have forgotten about you?"

"Maybe because you're an idiot." Claire responded, grabbing her sword. "I want answers. What does Weiss want with me? What damn chip[ had you tried to place into my body last time?"

Rosso grinned. "All good things to those who wait. All your answers will come eventually. Weiss is rather hurt by you though, Claire. All these years you're all he can think of just to find out that you don't remember anything about him."

Her sword lowered a bit. "I…I know him?" Claire knew that she had lost her memories for a little while but she had gotten them all back already; hadn't she?

"Like I said, just wait and everything will be brought back to you." Rosso grinned, spreading her legs out as she got ready to attack. "Now, I will be taking you with me; either quietly or forcefully."

Rosso didn't wait for an answer and attacked. For some reason she seemed to be so much faster than before; or was Claire just seeing things? Whatever it was, it was true because Claire was getting her ass kicked again by this red-head beast.

"Dammit!" The blonde pushed herself to her feet as blood pooled down her body. She was beginning to feel lightheaded. "Jeanne wouldn't…wouldn't get beaten like…like this…"

"That would be because Jeanne is a monster." Rosso laughed as Claire fell to her knees again. "Think about who her mother was. Her father. She had that blood running through her veins. Sienna and Sephiroth are the only ones who would be able to beat us, maybe even Jeanne but I doubt it. You and Vincent's tries are just worthless."

~Sienna, huh?~ Claire coughed up some blood in her hand. ~She always ends up coming back to us, doesn't she? We'll never be able to escape her. Ever.~

Rosso kicked the blade away and then kicked the other woman in the face before picking her up by her collar. This woman was insanely strong. What in the hell had Hojo done to them? Claire tried to get free but couldn't. Her eyes widened now as Rosso pulled out a needle.

"They might have pulled the chip out last time," The redhead smirked. "But this won't be removable." She shoved the needle into the side of Claire's neck and injected the clear liquid into her veins. It stung. She could feel the pain still as it spread out through her body, making her squeal. It was like being stung by bees or wasps over and over again. It was making her lightheaded again.

"What…what did you just do?"

"I told you before, Weiss wants you. This serum cannot be removed now that it is injected with your blood. They can't remove it like the chip because they would extract too much blood. Don't worry, you will see what it does eventually." Rosso then dropped Claire on the ground and turned back to Vincent. "Now, you get to watch as I take care of your little boyfriend he-what!"

The last thing that Claire saw was a large ninja star flying towards her and Rosso.

**I hope that this long chapter was a good apology for not updating for the last two weeks :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	8. Chapter 6

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter Six**_

_**Get Ready**_

"**It's about time you got here."**

"Well, my bike decided that it would be a good idea to break down on me."

"Wait, your bike? Not Cloud's?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Dammit!" Zeke Fair hissed, turning from the woman before him. "I knew that idiot would get the wrong bike."

Zeke was nearly 28 now, his black hair still holding its shaggy look his brown eyes still held that cocky glance. That Knight Chess Piece earring was silver still as he hit the height of 6'3' in his black leather pants, boots, and jacket as his red shirt held a black cross. His chains still hung on his pants as that obsidian stone still rested on his throat. The only true difference about Zeke was that he no longer wore those fingerless gloves of his and that there was a golden band on his left, ring finger.

The woman, a little over 28 herself, reached the height of 5'9' with long brown hair and Mako eyes. There was a single, white feather hanging from the left side of her head as a pair of crystal earrings hung in her ears. In a pair of black leather pants, she wore a silver tank top with a white, long rider jacket that hung to her flat boots with an amethyst ring on her right hand.

Jeanne Rush frowned at the man for a moment before glancing at the baby in his arms. "Matt! How's my godchild been?"

The baby, only a few months old with tuffs of black hair like his mother and dark eyes like his father, squealed happily and reached out for the other woman. Zeke frowned. "Why doesn't he do that for me?"

"Because Jeanne doesn't scare him." A new voice chuckled.

"Tifa, who's side are you on?" Zeke moaned, hanging his head.

"Sorry, Zeke." The woman laughed at her husband.

Tifa Lockhart Fair was now 23 with her black hair as long as always and brown eyes as she was dressed up in a pair of black shorts and a sleeveless, white top much like her outfit from the events before Meteorfall. Her red ribbon was still tied around her left arm as her pearl earrings were still there and a golden band was on her left hand as well.

"Where's Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"Oh, Barret dragged him off somewhere the moment we arrived." Jeanne asked. "They're probably talking about the oil fields or something. Marlene's here, right?"

"Yep," Tifa nodded. "She and Denzel ran off to play. I told them to be careful and Myra offered to follow them to keep an eye on them."

"Reno's with her, though," Zeke added. "So I doubt that it's the kids she's going to be watching."

"Reno's here?" Jeanne raised a brow. "I didn't know that."

"Yep. I'm surprised that they're not engaged yet. You should have seen them at the digging site." Zeke told her. "So, why are we all here again?"

"Well, we were going to be planning the party for Cloud and Claire's birthday but Cloud refused to go on to Edge without me so I had to bring him here. When Cid, Renee, and Yuffie get here we'll send Cloud off with the kids for a bit to keep it secret."

"Really? All for a party?" The man sighed as Tifa took their baby back. "I guess since it's for Claire too that I can suffer through it."

"Still don't like Cloud, huh?" Jeanne smiled.

"It's not that I don't like him," The man told her. "It's just…"

"It's all right, I understand." She told him. It was because of what happened with Zack and it was understandable for Jeanne. She had felt the same for Aerith; perhaps her's were a little more extreme, though. "How about Red Xlll?"

"Yeah, he's here." Zeke nodded. "Saw him first when we arrived. Poor guys' exhausted, coming here on his own."

"He came on his own? I told him that he should have contacted one of us; we would have picked him up on our way past."

"I-"

"Jeanne!" The call made the three of them turn to see two figures running to them.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Tifa asked.

Cloud Strife, that notable, spiky blond head of his and those Mako-induced eyes, was still dressed head to foot in black and leather with one long sleeve on his left arm and no sleeve on his other arm with the metal emblem of a wolf on the left side of his chest.

Barret Wallace, beside him, was a large black man dressed in green pants and boots with a net shirt and a white, unzipped vest as his new outfit.

It was Barret that answered. "I'm not sure. He just took off without a word."

Cloud just stared at Jeanne in silence. The woman shrugged. "Call her."

Zeke watched for a moment before his mouth dropped open at the sight of Cloud pulling out his phone. "Are you serious?" He began. "You have to ask permission to call your sister? What is she, your boss?"

"Shut up, Zeke."

"Yes dear," The man sighed, hanging his head.

"Like you can talk." A smug voice sounded from behind them.

"Shut up, Reno." Another female voice mimicked Tifa.

"All right."

Jeanne couldn't help but chuckle as the two others all moved towards them.

At the height of 5'7' and in her early thirties the woman held long, silky violet hair that reached to her waist and matching eyes full of rage. Dressed in a pair of black capris and a pair of boots covered in dirt and worn out with a brown and grey t-shirt, a pair of silver dragons hung from her ears as a necklace disappeared beneath her shirt.

"Jeanne, how's it been?" Myra Zoon asked with a small smile.

"Not too bad. Yourselves?"

"Perfect." The man grinned.

Reno was a man in his late twenties with a lanky physique, unkempt red hair pulled back in a long ponytail and two symmetrical red marks on his cheek bones. With goggles on his forehead, the man still wore an un-tucked dress shirt and unbuttoned suit jacket.

"More or less," the woman agreed with a short nod.

"She's not answering." Cloud commented.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Zeke gave a smile as he scratched the back of his head. "Give Vincent or Rufus a call; I'd go for Vincent. The three of them were together when I called them the other day."

Cloud did so and Jeanne raised a brow. "Why is that?" Vincent had come out of hiding? That was a surprise.

"Shocking, I know," Zeke admitted, that look still on his face. "But there's something that I forgot to tell you about that."

"Where's my sister?" Cloud's voice cut through.

"And what is that?" Tifa raised a brow. The man began to sweat as they all stared at him.

"Is Claire all right?"

Zeke rubbed his head again as he inched over to Cloud. "Claire is-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'IS SHE STILL ALIVE'?"

"Ho!" Zeke began to laugh. "Can you say busted?"

A surprised face split across Jeanne's face as she turned to Cloud. What was that supposed to mean? She suddenly got a very bad feeling about all of this…but Claire could take care of herself, couldn't she?

"Vincent," Cloud's voice was full of rage and Jeanne swore she could see some smoke spewing out of the man's ears. "VINCE-" Cloud gave a growl as he snapped the phone shut.

"I take it that that mean's something bad has happened." Jeanne glanced to the side to see that the last member of their little group had shown up with two children. Red Xlll was a large animal that looked like a mix between and lion and a dog. His fur was a fiery red and there was a large '13' on his hind leg.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"I'm not sure," Cloud shook his head, trying to keep his anger under control. "Reeve burst into the room, asking if she was still alive."

"Still alive?" Barret raised a brow. "What in the hell are they doing?"

Jeanne closed her eyes. "A few days ago, Reeve called me. I wasn't going to say anything yet but it seems that I have to now. A group under the name of Deepground has appeared."

"Yeah," Zeke nodded his head. "I caught sight of the announcement of their leader the other day on the television. What was his name? Weiss?"

Jeanne nodded. "Yes. It appears that they are another group of SOLDIERS that Hojo had been working on. They were trapped under Midgar for three years but now have found a way out, most likely due to the events that happened with Kadaj and the others. I'm not sure what they're up to but we do know that they're planning on 'cleansing the world'. Reeve and the WRO have been trying to stop them and he called upon Vincent for help. Naturally, that night we talked to your sister while she was in Kalm to meet with Reeve, Claire decided to join Vincent and help Reeve out."

"Isn't Yuffie a member of that WRO thing?" Zeke asked.

"Yeah," Jeanne nodded.

"Idiot," He snickered.

"And if you want to get nasty with it, we all are too, right Tifa?" Jeanne glanced at her friend.

The woman gave her husband a look. "That's right." Zeke frowned but stayed silent as their son slept in his arms.

"The events led to Edge, apparently." Jeanne continued. "Nearly the whole town has disappeared. Vincent and Claire were just on their way to the city when I last heard. The attack must have happened there." She looked at Cloud. "Your sister will be fine. If she wasn't then Reeve would have called us first thing."

Cloud nodded. "I-"

"_Hey kid, do I have your attention I know the way you've been livin' Life so reckless, tragedy endless Welcome to the Family."_

Jeanne raised a brow and pulled her phone out as it continued to ring.

"Who is it?" Myra asked.

"Renee." She opened the phone. "Hello?"

"_Jeanne_," The elder woman's voice sounded stressed.

"What's wrong?"

"_Nothing too much, but we're not going to make it. Reeve called us and needs our help with the events that's been going on with the Deepground."_

"I heard about Deepground but why does he need you?"

"_We're not exactly sure, but he said to go ahead and ask for you to come to."_

"Us?"

"_Yeah, he wants everyone. Said that something big was about to happen. We can turn around for you."_

Jeanne smiled. "No, there's no need for that. I can get us a ride. Is Yuffie with you?"

"_Yes. We're-"_ Renee's voice was cut off as the phone lost the signal. Jeanne sighed and tucked it back into her jacket.

"What's up?" Reno asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Cid, Renee, and Yuffie are heading towards WRO Headquarters. Says something about to happen and that Reeve asked for all of us to show up as well."

"Really?" Red Xlll raised a brown as Marlene and Denzel stayed silent, just watching.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Barret demanded. "I was getting bored with all this non-fighting crap, anyway! When do we leave?"

As the group all broke into a conversation with eachother, the two children joining in as well, Jeanne turned and began to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" Cloud called after her.

Jeanne turned back and gave them all a small smile. "I have to make a call." She turned again and left the room, pulling her phone back out. Dialing a number, she paused, waiting with a small smile.

"_Well, well, look who it is. I thought you said you weren't going to call me until after the party."_

She smiled at her sister's voice. "Jena, can you do me a favor?"

"_It all depends. What kind of favor is it?"_

"Well, it involves…Hojo."

There was silence for a moment before a sigh sounded. _"Can't ever get rid of that senile bastard, can we?"_

"It seems not."

"_So, what is it that you need?"_

"A ride to the WRO Headquarters, and…"

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	9. Chapter 7

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**Return to WRO Headquarters**_

"**GET AWAY FROM ME!" **Claire's shout was ripped from her throat as she jerked into a sitting position.  
"Jeez, sorry. I was just trying to help."

The voice made Claire's head come back and she took a look around. She was in the Shadowfox again, traveling to somewhere. Back to Headquarters, no doubt. Turning her head, Claire found Vincent, still sleeping on the bench across from her and the hooded figure from before beside her. She stared at the figure for a moment before giving a small smile.

"Yuffie. It's good to see you again."

"It's only been a couple of months since our last contact," The ninja smiled. "Miss me that much?"

"Of course," the Strife replied. She lifted her hand and rubbed the back of her neck. That woman, Rosso, had she really injected something into her? Should she say something about it? With what happened last time, if she did tell them, then Reeve would try to find a way to take it out. That meant that Vincent was going to have to go on without her as tests were being performed. That made her decision. She had just got Vincent back. There was no way that she was going to let him get away a third time.

"Morning!" Yuffie's voice caught Claire's attention and she turned to see that Vincent was now awake too.

"Vincent, you okay?"

"Claire…where…?"

"The Shadowfox," She answered him.

"Who are you?" Vincent looked at the hooded woman.

"Well, I'm glad you asked."

"Oh Lord," Claire sighed.

"I am the Champion of the earth and the sky. I am the conqueror of evil! The single white rose of Wutai." She ripped her cloak off and struck a pose. "Yuffie Kisaragi! Feast your eyes on-" Claire laughed as Yuffie fell backwards and hit her head on the control board.

Vincent stared at her for a moment. "So, where are we?"

"C'mon, aren't you at least a little concerned!?" The ninja demanded.

"Huh. Yuffie. It's been a while. How's your head?"

"Oh, you…could you at least pretend to be sympathetic? Both of you!" Yuffie growled at Claire as she continued to laugh. Yuffie wore a black and white headband, long black socks with yellow, knee-high shoes with a pair of khaki shorts. She wore a tank top with flower designs and a sleeveless, unzipped, gray hoodie. Vincent went to sit up but Yuffie pushed him back down. "Hey, take it easy. That was a big wound you had in your chest."

"A hole in my chest?"

"Compliments of Rosso," Claire told him.

"I seriously thought you were a goner," The ninja decided to say. "But then the wound healed itself right up. You were always 'different' but I guess that's why you're still breathing."

He was silent for a moment before looking back at the ninja. "Yuffie, what are you doing here?"

"Me? I'm just helping out Reeve and his game. I was poking around in Nibelheim and I found you looking corpselike in ShinRa Manor as Claire here fought that red-head. So, I saved you guys! Imagine that-me, saving the great Vincent Valentine and Claire Strife. Do I get any thinks?"

"Just don't tell Zeke," Claire sighed. "I'll never hear the end of it." Yuffie laughed.

Vincent couldn't help but pull out a small smile. "Thanks Yuffie."

Claire's phone went off as Yuffie continued. It was a text from Jeanne.

_ON MY WAY_

She felt tears rise up and she quickly wiped them away. Jeanne was on her way. Claire felt relief pass through her. Jeanne was always there for her when she came across problems and with Jeanne, Cloud came as well. Without the two of them, Claire didn't know what she would do.

"_Vincent and Claire have come to?"_ Reeve's relieved voice brought Claire's attention to the screen that Yuffie had pulled up. _"Excellent. I have some good news. Using you-know-who, I was able to infiltrate Midgar. However, what I saw wasn't the prettiest of pictures."_

"Of course not," Claire waved a hand. "Were you expecting it to be?"

After Reeve explained what he found, Vincent told him what they had learned from Rosso.

"Omega. I should have known. We cannot let them sacrifice the lives of anymore people. Once we've gathered our forces, we'll launch a full offensive. Of course, we'll require the help of you three as well." Please hurry back to headquarters."

"Just so you know," Claire smiled. "I just got a message from Jeanne. The others are on their way as well."

Reeve smiled. "Good. Good. Oh, I'm analyzing the data files you sent earlier. I should have results soon. Tuesti out."

"There you have it," Yuffie began. "I don't know what's going down, but it sounds big. I've been waiting a long time to get my hands on these Deepground punks. They're had their way long enough. Now it's time to give them a taste of Pain a la Yuffie. Just give me 3 minutes with those guys. No, make it two! Well, maybe 3 or 4. I t really depends on how man there are. If there's five I could probably take them in 2." Claire shook her head as the ninja continued. How she and Renee were related Claire did not know.

"We'll be arriving shortly." The driver told them.

"Good," Claire grinned. "I'm starving."

"You're always hungry." Yuffie decided to tease.

"Are you kidding me? Zeke is the food hound, not me. But he's nowhere near as bad as Zack…" Her voice faltered at that moment as memories flooded her mind of the said SOLDIER they had lost all those years ago.

"What the hell!?"

The car shook. Claire held onto the seat but Yuffie didn't, resulting in her falling and whacking her head against the controls again, this time a lot harder; she was knocked out.

"What in the world happened?" She wondered. It then hit her. "Please, not again." Vincent opened the doors and they found a pair of enemy Sweeper drones waiting for them. "Dammit." She hissed. These drones were nothing for the two of them and were taken care of quickly and easily. "If they're here then they're at the base, too!" Claire told her companion. Vincent agreed and then began to lead the way. The woman turned to the WRO driver that had decided to join them towards the end of the fight. "Take care of Yuffie."

"Right away, ma'am!" he gave a salute. "I shall fix the Shadow Fox and return to base as soon as possible. Just…just go save the others."

"Of course." Claire nodded before moving after her partner.

They found a Deepground camp but a group of bugs took care of that. Guess they didn't like their territory being invaded. Some more of those hounds had attacked them but there was really nothing to worry about until they hit the Headquarters. There were some WRO members out there taking care of some Deepground soldiers and some enemy choppers.

"Why? Why are there always choppers?" Claire sighed.

"Help with the ground unit," Vincent told the woman beside him as he took aim at the choppers. "I'll take care of them."

"You got it." She grinned, pulling out her sword. The men were easy to take care of since there weren't any reinforcements dropping down from the choppers but the mobile units were the real problem here, anyway.

"Just how many of these damn things are there?" Claire had grabbed one of the fallen enemies rockets and was using that to fire. A few of the WRO members were helping her hold it as the others ran through the fallen enemies, gathering ammo for her and reloaded the launcher. Vincent had taken down a few of them by the time they joined in and overall the number of choppers turned out to be 15.

"Thank you, Sir Valentine, Lady Strife." One of the men saluted to them.

Claire flushed. "Please, just Claire."

"O-of course." He smiled at her, resulting in Vincent frowning. "The enemy has-" His radio cut him off as it gave off cries for help. His face paled.

"You and your men follow us inside and cover us." Claire gave off orders. "These bastards think that they can attack us for a second time? Let's show them just what we WRO members can do!"

"R-right. Yeah. Yeah! Let's go, men!" The man called out. The members all gave shouts of agreement and rushed towards the gate.

"Motivation? From you?" Vincent asked.

"Well, I didn't see you doing anything," Claire teased, moving after the members. "Come on, Vincent. Let's go kick some more ass!"

The Deepground soldiers were all over the place. Claire nearly got shot multiple times but it seemed that Vincent was always there to keep that from happening. They found more WRO members along the way that joined up with their group, making them turn into a little army-like set as they reached the doors they needed to get into the Headquarters with a few more Deepground soldiers in the way and another robot.

"Another Black Widow? Really?" Claire shook her head as they all paused for a moment, glaring at the other group. "Don't you guys have something else to use? You should take a hint; if it lost last time what makes you think it'll win the second time?" With that, the next step in the battle took place. The WRO members were like ants, climbing all over the enemy and taking them down as Claire and Vincent easily took the second Black Widow down; much easier than the first one had been. When the enemy fell that gave them free entrance into the building.

Headquarters was in ruins. Stairs had tumbled due to enemy rockets and only a few WRO members were left inside. The reinforcements that Claire and Vincent brought with them seemed to turn the tides though and resulted in WRO retaking the floors.

Pleased and sure that they could handle themselves now, Claire and Vincent hurried off to try and find Reeve and Barry. Instead, they found something that they hadn't been expecting.

Not At All.

"What the hell?" Vincent and Claire echoed eachother as the creature moved down the hall, slashing through some of the WRO members that were shooting it. It was like a mix between a dinosaur and a…Claire didn't know.= and something told her that she didn't want to know.

"Azul." They turned to see Shelke and Shalua standing behind them.

"You mean to tell me that ogre turned into THAT!?" Claire stared at it, wide-eyes still. "How in the fuc-" Cerberus' fires cut off her words but the bullets rebounded off of the creature. "All right, let's try this then." Claire ran forward, her blade ready. She flipped over the claws as they slashed at her and she brought her sword down on its back. Static formed where she hit as she tried to force her way through what appeared to be a shield but in the end she was sent flying back into the wall. "Well, that didn't work," She commented to herself as she pushed herself up, shaking her head to rid herself of the stars she was seeing.

Shalua tried to help but got hit and hard. Vincent was next and then Shelke.

"What in the hell? I thought you were partners!" Claire cried as she gripped her sword again. She was trying to think of a way to break through the shield. ~Dammit, Jeanne would know what to do!~ She hissed to herself. ~Just think, Claire. You can do this!~

Shelke dodged another attack and then pulled something out of her pocket and held it up in front of her and the creature. Azul couldn't move. "The extreme potency of this shield Materia is compatible to that of your barrier field, Azul." There was a flash and the man was standing there again.

"Shelke? Why do you stand in my way?" He demanded.

Shelke sighed and put her shield away. "I had to protect myself. You were trying to kill me."

"Hmm. Then now is the time." He went to hit her again but she was too fast.

~What is going on?~ Claire didn't know what to do. Vincent was pushing himself back to his feet, watching the conversation just like she was.

"You are no longer required." Azul told her.

"No longer…"

"You are no different from the others. You weak body is nothing without Mako. Your only skill is collecting data from inside a virtual reality. It makes me sick to even think of you as a member of the Tsviets."

~ouch~ Claire winced.

"Weiss has ordered your termination." Azul continued.

Shelke took a step back. "Weiss?" She sounded shocked.

"Your mission was to identify and locate the Keeper of the Protomateria. That is why we uploaded the doctor's data into your neural network. But now we no longer need it. And we cannot let it fall into the hands of the WRO. Hmph. Your fate has been decided, Shelke. It is time for you to return to the planet."

"I think it's time to get out of here!" Claire called as Shelke pulled out her shield again.

Shalua grabbed her sister and opened a doorway. Claire and Vincent went right through but Shelke struggled.

"Let go of me."

"I don't think so. We have 10 years to catch up on. I'm not going to let it end here."

"Shit!" Claire and Vincent both tried to pry the door open more but it wouldn't mover. "Where's Barret when you need him?"

"Why are you doing this?" Shelke asked.

"You can still fit through." Shalua told her sister. "Go on." She pushed her through. "Shelke, I'm sorry I' Im' sorry I wasn't a better sister." The door began to crush the metal arm. "I'm sorry I let you suffer for so long. Vincent, Claire. Take care of her, will you?"

Vincent was still trying to pull the door open. "Wait-"

"Shelke, I'm glad that I was able to find you." The door continued to close. "And remember, I'll always love you."

"No!" Claire cried as the door sht. Vincent slammed his fists against it.

"Why?" Shelke sounded stunned and confused. There was a loud thud from the other side and Claire closed her eyes as a pool of blood began to seep through. "Why did she…? Why? Shalua…" There was another thud.

Vincent grabbed Shelke's hand and led the way down the hall.

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	10. Chapter 8

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Eight_**

**_Strike Three_**

**WRO Headquarters was in shambles. **Claire hurried through the area, searching for the two that she was looking for. She burst into the main office.

"Reeve! Barry! Thank God." Claire sighed in relief. The boy pushed himself up from beside Reeve and ran to the woman, wrapping his arms around her waist as he fought back tears. The child must have been so terrified.

"I'm so ashamed," Reeve looked like he was about to cry. "I am supposed to be a hero of the Jenova war. But look at me."

"Don't take all the blame." Vincent told him.

"Yeah, they kicked our ass, too." Claire added.

Vincent looked at the man on the floor. "Reeve." He looked up. "You're not thinking of giving up, are you?"

The man didn't reply so Vincent knelt down beside him. "I used to be nothing but a stone in the river of time. But three years ago it was you and the others who taught me that I had to move ahead." Claire gave a soft smile.

"Vincent," Reeve began but the man stood back up and moved away, leaving the room. He motioned for Claire to follow him and she did, Barry right behind her.

They found Yuffie in the healing chambers, staring at Shalua as she laid there in her tube.

"Is she all right?" Claire instantly demanded.

Yuffie hung her head. "They…they say she won't wake up." Claire bit her lip. "She suffered too much trauma to her head. Unless there's some kind of a miracle, she's…she's not…" She slammed her hand on the desk she was sitting on. "You two were there! Why couldn't you save her?!"

Both of them hung their heads but Barry tossed his arms out. As if trying to block the two of them. "They did nothing wrong!" He told the ninja sitting there. "They tried their hardest! I know that they did!"

Yuffie sighed and hung her own head. "No, I didn't mean to…" She was cut off by the door opening again and this time Shelke walked in. she gave her sister one look.

"She was a fool," She stated.

Yuffie had jumped off the desk and slapped her across the face. "You have no right to call her that! You don't know-you don't know what-" Vincent placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back from the girl.

"Why? Why would she do something so…" Yuffie couldn't take it anymore and stormed out of the room.

"Before," Vincent began. "When I asked Shalua what she was looking for, she answered. 'her reason to live'. It was you, Shelke. You were her reason to live."

"So?" Shelke asked after a moment. "I don't understand how someone could give her own life for that of another. Do you understand, Vincent Valentine?"

~I do~ Claire told herself. ~For Jeanne and Cloud…for any of them really~

Vincent turned away. "I can't answer for your sister, but…"

"But?"

"When a person has someone they care about that much, giving their life is sometimes the least they can do. But maybe…that's what makes us human."

"Someone they…care about."

"Although, it seems that there are a lot of people around me who don't need a reason to risk their lives for that of another."

"And are you-" Shelke stumbled forward, like she was out of energy. Claire watched, an eyebrow raised, as Vincent and the child just stood there, staring at eachother for a moment.

"What are they doing?" Barry asked.

"I'm not sure…" She frowned. Something told her that this had something to do with Lucrecia again.

"I'm sorry," Shelke apologized as she stepped back. She turned. "Why are her data fragments responding?"

"Data fragments?" Claire asked.

Before she could get her answer, Reeve entered the room and saw them standing there. He moved to the other man. "Vincent. I agree with you. This is not the time for us to give up. But I need to know something. Those data files that you recovered from ShinRa Manor, are you sure there were not anymore?"

Vincent shook his head. "I'm sure."

"I see." Reeve hung his head. "Did you get ahold of Jeanne?"

"I did," Claire began. "But she said that she didn't have them." Reeve hung his head. "What's wrong?" Claire asked him.

"Well, the Omega report, the file was incomplete. To make any sense of it we are going to require the other half. If possible, I wanted to know more about our foe before we launched the attack on Midgar."

"Are you speaking of Lucrecia Crescent's findings?"

Claire frowned at the name and Barry grabbed her hand as they continued to talk. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Claire shook her head. "Just some…bad memories."

"You know what can make that go away?" Barry began.

"What?"

"Some ice cream!" the child grinned.

She gave a small laugh. "Will go get some right after dinner, all right?"

"Yeah!"

_"Vincent! Claire! Reeve! You better get out here!" _Yuffie's voice blared over the intercom.

They ran out onto the launch pad and they recognized the ship that was landing before them. Claire joined Yuffie in jumping up and down, waving their arms and calling out a certain pair of names. Barry gave Claire one look before joining in. Claire felt tears rising in her eyes as the ship landing; the memories were coming back. She could just see what Cid was saying as he brought it to a land.

_"Ha! What the hell we waiting for? It's time to get up and go! Come on, get on board!"_

She then laughed at what she was sure Renee would say in return.

_"Calm down, Cid. They'll be on soon enough."_

It wasn't too long before they were onboard and Claire was running for the pilot. "Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid! Cid!

"Whoa! Calm down there, sweetheart!" The man laughed. "It's good to see you again, too!"

Cid Highwind wore a pair of black pants and boots, a blue shirt with a faded, red jacket tied around his waist. He wore a pair of gloves on his hand and those goggles in his blond hair like always.

Vincent could hear her voice the moment he stepped onto ship behind Yuffie.

"Renee! Renee! Renee! Renee!"

Yuffie's aunt had long hair still dyed red and was wearing a pair of khaki capris and a white tank top with a grey jacket.

"Look at the babies!" Claire gasped. "They've gotten so big!" Vincent stared in shock at the two one-year-old's that Renee and Yuffie were holding; both were girls. He remembered that Renee had been pregnant during the events last year by why hadn't he been that they had been born?

~Oh yeah,~ He closed his eyes. ~I didn't get in contact with them. It surprised me that Reeve knew how to find me; then again he did have the geniuses on the computer that could probably do it for him.~

"Hey, Vincent!" Cid grinned from behind the wheel as a third one-year-old sat in a seat beside him. This one was a boy. "Long time!" He had let go of the wheel and one of the crew members gave a cry. "Sorry about that." He grinned. "As much as I'd like to sit down and reminisce about old times, you'll have to take a rain check. Why don't you have a look around my bird until our meeting?"

"Claire," Renee grinned. "Come with me. We need to talk."

"Vincent," Claire turned to the man behind her. "Let's meet up for something to eat later, yeah?"

Vincent stared at her for a moment before giving her a nod.

"Here," Cid handed off the baby that was sleeping. "Take him with you. Me and Vincent here are going to have a man talk."

"The question is can you really call it a 'man' talk then." Yuffie teased as she took the boy.

"Now, now," Renee chuckled as she led the way down the hall.

"So," Claire grinned as she followed, the girl in her arms playing with her hair. "How have the two of you been?"

"Good, besides exhausted due to three little rascals but we're getting along just fine." Renee gave her a wink. "Now don't be surprised if we leave them with you and Jeanne before taking off on our own for a bit."

Claire gave a laugh. "Just tell me the time and the place!"

"You should give them to Zeke; he'd love to have to look after four children instead of just his." Yuffie decided to say as they reached the babies room.

Renee laughed at her niece. "You tease Zeke too much now, Yuffie."

"Ha! Yuffie does that to everyone. Remember how she used to treat Cid when we traveled together?"

Renee shook her head. "Used to? She still treats him that way."

Yuffie was flushing. "All right guys, I think we get the point. Let's change to conversation to what you wanted to talk to." The young woman held an icepack to her head.

"Still can't take flying, huh?" Claire asked her.

Yuffie frowned. "No, not really."

"You know," Renee set the children, Selena, Aurora, and Bastian, in their cribs to let them rest. Bastian and Selena slept peacefully but Aurora refused to, playing with her toys as she watched the three women instead. "I had a talk with Jeanne just the other day."

"Really?" Claire asked. "Are they all right?"

"Yes, they're all just fine. They were all rather upset about the attack on Edge; Zeke making a big fuss over them being able to protect the people if they had been there."

"Well of course!" Yuffie nodded. "If they had been there then Deepground wouldn't have had a chance to make Edge an empty place."

"True. They're on their way now to help with the attack on Midgar, so keep your eye out for your brother. He seems to be very worried about you."

Claire pulled a face. "Yeah, I heard when he called Vincent after Nibelheim. Sometimes, Cloud's just a little too protective."

"Yes, well you're the only family he has left so of course he is." Renee smiled. "Anyway, so tell me, how are things with Vincent?"

Claire glanced away. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play coy now, Claire." Yuffie grinned.

"Damn," Claire shook her head. "What do you two want me to say? I'm in love with a 60–year-old man." She then thought about what she said. "There's something wrong with that."

"Yes, well, at least he looks like he's in his thirties." Renee chuckled.

"I agree there." Her niece grinned.

Claire flushed. "Shut it, guys."

"_Renee, we need you guys up here. They're ready for the show." _Cid's voice announced.

"Shall we?" Renee smiled, turning to leave the room.

"Are we just leaving the kids here?" Claire asked.

"Not by themselves," The mother assured her. "Shera will be here soon to stay with them.

"Shera's here?" Claire asked as they walked down the hall again. "Wow. I didn't expect that."

"Shera's a good friend and has been for years." Renee told them. "I'd trust her with my life after all that we've been through."

"Yeah," Claire gave a smile as they entered the front again and found everyone gathered around a large orb beneath the wheel of the ship.

"All right," Cid began. "Our old buddies and the remaining WRO Squad will lead the ground assault."

"While we launch our attack," Yuffie was holding that icepack to her head still. "From the air."

"Right," Cid nodded. "So Reeve, you ready?"

"Yes." The man nodded with a firm face.

Claire watched in awe as everything went dark and the globe in the middle lit up. It reminded her of Red Xlll's grandfather three years ago when he showed them the planets. All the stars were there again and she wore a huge smile on her face. She felt like she was floating in the galaxy.

"_Just as we return to the planet when our lifeline is fading," _Claire frowned at Lucrecia's voice. Renee placed a shoulder on her hand, knowing how she was feeling. _"The planet returns to the Cosmos when her time has come."_ The trip through space they were receiving was extraordinary. _"Anything that has definite shape will one day cease to exist. The same is true for this world." _They watched as their planet began to explode. Claire gasped. _"Before she takes her final breath, the pure Lifestreams that flow freely beneath her crust _

_Will be brought together into one,"_ They watched as it happened. _"By Omega, the ultimate life form. His purpose? To gather all life, sentient and not, and lead it into the sea of stars where it will embark on a fabulous journey along a road untraveled."_ They watched as 'Omega' shot off across the galaxy. _"However, when Omega has lifted the life from this planet,"_ They all glanced down to find a red ball that had once been their planet. It began to crumble apart. _"All that will remain will be an empty shell, destined to die silently in the limitless void of space."_

Everything returned to normal after that.

_"Omega is the same type of life form as the three Weapons that we encountered three years ago,"_ Shelke's voice came to them.

"You mean, the creatures that Sienna raised and could control?" Renee asked.

"The very same."

"So, that means…if Sienna were still alive…she would be able to control Omega as well, right?"

"_Perhaps. I am not sure but from what I have learned, then yes, she would have been and Deepground's mission would have been pointless."_

"That figures," Cid hissed.

_"The Planet gave birth to the Weapons to protect itself it too will give birth to Omega when the end of the world is imminent. In essence, Omega is an elaborate safety mechanism designed solely to maintain and protect the flow of life."_

"Then how would Sienna be able to control it? Weren't she and Sephiroth trying to destroy the planet?"

_"Something happened when she came into contact with the Weapons," _Shelke answered. "_I'm not sure on what it was so I cannot answer truthfully." _She paused. "_Normally, Omega poses no threat to us. It only manifests when the planet has detected something that may cause her danger."_

"However," Reeve began. "Deepground is attempting to awaken the beast early. Thus, the kidnappings."

"But why?" Claire demanded. "Why would they do that?"

"By slaughtering thousands of innocent souls," Reeve continued. "They are creating a pure Lifestream in order to trick the planet into thinking the end is near."

"Why those conniving!" Cid gave off a yell. "I don't know what this Weiss character is thinking but he's crazy if he thinks we're gonna let him get away with it!"

"You damn right!" Claire agreed.

"Omega is being revived deep beneath Midgar Mako Reactor Zero." Reeve continued. Claire remembered that path from three years ago when they had to save Aerith the first time and then again when they had to stop the Sister Ray. "To increase the output of Reactor Zero all the other Reactors have been tied to its mainframe. Our Objective is to destroy One through Eight and slow the reanimation process. Mission details for each squad will be relayed separately."

"All right," Cid grinned. "We still got some time before the big show. You got anything that needs tending to, do it."

"Vince, Claire," Renee began. "You two don't worry about those Reactors. We'll handle those."

"Yeah," Cid agreed. "You take care of those four Wackos."

"Not a problem!" Claire grinned.

"I don't like letting you have all the fun," Cid added. "But you know that I can't leave my baby here alone." He referred to the Ship. "Or the three kids." He teased. "Cloud and the others will be shutting down the power and there's no way we're letting Yuffie and Renee go down there by themselves."

"Don't worry, Cid," Claire told him. "Vince and I can take care of the Tsviets, no problem!" She rubbed the back of her neck though, remembering what Rosso had injected into her. Just…what was that? She prayed that it wasn't going o cause a problem.

"Good," Cid grinned. "'Cause we're counting on ya."

Claire gave a smile. "Now excuse me, I think that I need to go take care of something really quick," She glanced at Vincent. "Meet you in the kitchen?"

The man gave a nod and she hurried from her room, searching for a bathroom. She found one and began to check herself in the mirror. No swelling. No funny looks. No different colors. She looked fine, except for the dark circles under her eyes but with all the crap that's going on when could she really sleep unless she'd been knocked out?

Giving a sigh of relief she turned and looked at the back of her neck. No marks there, either. Maybe she was just imagining things. If Rosso had truly injected something into her then something would have happened by now, right? Besides, she didn't know this Weiss guy so there was no reason as to why they were wanting her. This was all just some kind of trick.

~Stop thinking about it and just go get something to eat.~ She told herself as she left the bathroom. Walking down the hall she found everyone getting ready for the mission. Heading to the kitchen she found no one there. She waited for a little while but no one came. She frowned. ~I guess Vincent's getting ready for the mission as well. Might as well just go and join them.~ Grabbing an apple, she ate it as she passed through the halls, heading for the back of the ship to get ready to start the mission. When the hall door opened in front of her she found out where Vincent was.

He was on the ground, clutching at his chest, gasping for breath. "Vincent!" She slid down next to him, grabbing his arm. "What's wrong? What's going on?" he didn't reply, just sat there, clutching his chest. "Oh God, its Chaos, isn't it? Is he trying to take over?" ~He can't control Chaos without the Protomateria! What am I going to do? What can I do?~

"You…you're here," His voice was short and in pain.

Claire raised a brow. "Of course I'm here. We were supposed to have lunch, remember? You see what happens when you bail out on me?"

"I'm…I'm sorry…"

"It's-"

"Lucretia."

Claire fell silent and raised a brow. That was when she noticed that Vincent was staring at the doorway in front of them. She now understood what he was saying and to whom he was saying it to. He didn't even know that she was here. Claire's anger skyrocketed. Could she never get away from that damn woman?

~There is a way to do that~ She told herself. ~And only one. Can you do it?~

"Claire?" Vincent's voice made the woman rip herself from her thoughts. "what are you doing here?"

"I'm not quite sure anymore." She clenched her eyes shut as she pulled away from him. Vincent looked at her in confusion. "I can't…I can't take it anymore! I thought that I could but I just-I just can't, Vincent! Not anymore!" She glared at him. "I hope you're going to be happy with that damn crystalized woman in that cave!"

"Claire, wait!" Vincent reached for her but she was gone from the room as Cid's voice blared over the intercom.

She was hoping that he would come after her but he didn't. If he did, he could have caught her. Instead she found herself alone a she burst into the launch pad, searching for someone. She found them.

"Claire, what happened?" Yuffie demanded, turning from Reeve. The blonde was silent for a moment before lowering her head as her tears decided to fall. Yuffie grabbed her, holding her as Reeve shook his head.

~Vincent, you fool~

**_~I think I'm drowning;  
Asphyxiated,  
I wanna break this spell  
That you've created.  
You're something beautiful;  
A contradiction,  
I wanna play the game,  
I want the friction.~_**

**"Claire,"** Yuffie called to the woman beside her. "Try to stick with me and Aunt Yuie, all right?"

"Not a problem!" The Strife called back.

Claire had changed her mind. She was letting Vincent go off by himself. She didn't care anymore. Instead, she was going to go find Cloud and the others and help them bring down the Reactors. The others didn't ask why and Vincent didn't show up; she was glad with both of them.

_"All right, go!" _Cid cried.

"Catch you on the flip side." Renee called over her shoulder as they took off.

(OH points for the Power Ranger line! XD)

Claire gave off a cry as she was shot into the air that quickly turned into laughter as she dodged the missiles from the enemy below. She whipped out her gun and began to fire back, giving victory hoots as they landed. This was making her feel better. She had given Vincent three tries and he kept doing the same thing over and over; always ending with Lucretia. It wasn't fair and Claire was done with it, just like Jeanne had told her to be before the events with Deepground started.

Vincent Valentine had just struck out.


	11. Chapter 9

**_Chapter Nine_**

**_ShinRa's helping hand_**

**Tifa held onto Matt as Barret drove the truck quickly down the wasteland. Zeke was beside her, speaking into the radio.**

"I got a clear view on it, guys." The back of the truck began to open. "You two go have fun with it, all right?"

_"Not a problem."_ Jeanne's clear voice replied as Cloud placed his goggles on. They were on their bikes in the back of the truck.

"Time to go, Fenrir." Cloud led the way, taking off onto their own wheels. As the two bikes took off past the truck, the inhabitants gave off cries of support as the rest of the trucks, nearly twenty of them and carrying the other members, followed behind.

Jeanne felt excitement flowing through her veins. You had no idea how much she missed events like this. Being a SOLDIER for as long as she was made fighting apart of you for the rest of your life. Maybe she should start hosting tournaments or give someone an idea to bring tournaments into the world. Now THAT would be really fun…and an awesome way to get some free cash.

What was left of Midgar was run over with Deepground's men as they fired at the arial units and were fired back at. Each side was being wounded. Watching as the arial members were dropped, Jeanne gave another grin as a certain ninja could be seen as she flew through the air. (It was kind of hard to miss Yuffie due to her giant ninja star.)

Barret shielded Cloud and Jeanne from behind with missiles as the two bikes finally entered the frontlines. Grabbing Genesis' sword, she pulled it out and got ready to start her own attack. From the corner of her eye she watched as Cloud flew off, fighting some woman in red and then grinned as she caught sight of a large, REALLY LARGE, man in blue. That was her target; especially as he shot at one of the helicopters. Zipping through Deepground, she sliced through the men and ran some of them down as she attacked the Black Widows. She pulled the bike to a halt in front of the large man as the robots exploded behind her, a grin on her face. The man took instant notice of her and smirked himself.

"Ahh, a strong opponent. Let's hope that you're better than Vincent Valentine."

Jeanne continued to smile. "Jeanne Rush." She introduced herself.

The man's smirk turned into a blood-thirsty smile. "The legend. You have just made my day. Azul the Cerulean."

"Ah, so you're the one that Claire told me about," She glanced back at the blond in the sky. "And I take it that that's Rosso the Crimson?" She turned back to him. "I'll take care of her after I get done with you."

"Challenge accepted." Azul lifted his gun and began to fire. Jeanne took off on her bike again, zooming in closer to him before jumping off, coming down on the man's head with an attack.

**_~I'm never gonna dance again_**

**_These guilty feet have got no rhythm_**

**_I'm never gonna dance again_**

**_The way I danced with you~_**

**Claire caught sight of her brother nearby, flying through the air as he fought Rosso. **Anger traveled through her. There was no way in hell that this woman was going to do to her brother what she did to her and Vincent! Her board whacked Rosso in the side, sending the woman flying off and away from Cloud. "How'd you like that one, bitch!"

"Claire!" Cloud grinned happily at his sister before grabbing her in midair.

"Ahh! Cloud! This board can't take both of us!" She gave out a cry as they crashed to the ground. She slapped him in the back of the head. "What in the hell is wrong with you!"

Cloud ignored her and hugged his sister. Claire gave a smile and hugged him back. "It's good to see you're safe." He told her.

"What were you expecting?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure, but I'm glad I didn't see it." He told her, helping her stand up. "So, you ready for this?"

Claire pulled out her sword before they placed their backs to one another as the Deepground soldiers encircled them. "I'm always ready."

"Then stop talking and help!" Claire turned her head at the voice to find Zeke not too far away, whacking the enemy with his lance as Tifa wasn't too far away herself.

Claire grinned before launching in some attacks herself. ~This is what I live for,~ She told herself. ~What we all live for!~

**_~I should have known better than to cheat a friend  
And waste a chance that I'd been given  
So I'm never gonna dance again  
The way I danced with you~_**

**"Look at all this. Foolish idiots. Why do they think that they can win? Their leader must be an idiot."**

"Don't be so quick to judge. We did the same thing three years ago, remember?"

"Yeah, well we weren't trying to destroy the world. There's a difference."

"Yeah, the difference is that they're succeeding."

"The hell they are! Fire!

The woman hung her head as Liana and Reno continued to argue as they fired down upon Deepground. "Can the two of you just do your job?" She growled.

"Calm down, Jena." Myra smiled at the woman beside her. "You're going to fight soon, don't worry."

Jena Rush was in her early thirties at the height of 5'10 with pierced ears and in that Turk black suit with red eyes. Her brown hair hung to her shoulders as a diamond sat on her left hand; compliments of Rufus ShinRa.

"Yeah, don't worry boss!" Liana grinned as she looked back. Liana was a young woman with long hair on one side and short on the other. Her hair was dyed a dark blue and streaked with gold as her ears were pierced four times and her eyes were a bright amber.

Trying not to reply as they flew over Midgar, Jena opened the side door of the copter and glanced across to the other one. She could just see Tseng and Rude flying it as Elena sat in the back with another man.

Rufus ShinRa was a tall man with short blond hair and blue eyes as he wore his white suit. Elena hand short blond hair and was dressed in the black suit like the rest of them were.

Rude was tall with tan skin and bald with a little goatee. His ears were pierced multiple times and he was always seen in the Turk suit and wearing a pair of sunglasses. He was never seen without them. Tseng sat behind him with his long hair and the matching suit.

"We need a new change of clothes." Liana commented from her seat as she let out another set of rounds. "Don't get me wrong, I love the suits, but we need something…flashy."

Reno glanced at her. "You sound just like your boyfriend."

Jena rolled her eyes, trying to keep herself from smiling as she searched below. She quickly found what she was looking for and a huge grin spread across her face. "All right guys, I'm out."

"What? You're just going to jump out of the helicopter?" Liana turned in her seat in shock.

"Yep. Done it before." Jena grabbed out her sais and gave a salute. "Besides, if jumping out of a helicopter kills me after all the shit we've been through then its my time to go."

"Go kick some ass for me, Jena." Reno told her.

She grinned and gave a wave before jumping out. "Later."

**"You're a strong one," **Azul grinned. "No wonder Genesis spoke so highly off you."

Jeanne was caught off guard. "G-Genesis? You know Genesis?" She lowered her blade for a moment before tightening her grip on it. "Where is he? If you did anything to him, I swear-"

Azul gave a laugh. "Beat me, and I'll tell you everything."

Jeanne grinned again. "You've got a de-" Jeanne was cut off, eyes wide, as a certain woman fell onto Azul's head, knocking him to the ground and creating a crater. She then shook her head. "Jena, what are you doing?"

The older woman grinned at her younger sister. "Just dropping in to help."

"I can see that." Jeanne shook her head again. "I can also see that ShinRa has decided to lend a hand in all of this."

"Well, if my sister's involved with it then of course I'm going to be." Jena took a place beside her sister, running a hand through her hair. "Besides, I-" She paused as Jeanne grabbed her left hand and took a look at the ring on her finger. She grinned. "A gift, from Rufus last night."

"A gift? Or a _gift_?" Jeanne asked. She was answered with silence and a smile. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. So, when is Cloud going to-"

"All this talk is making me bored." Azul's voice made the sisters turn back to the large man that was now standing again. "Fight or die!"

Jena frowned and gripped her sais. "Hasn't anyone ever told you-" She jumped forward in another attack.

Jeanne followed her sister. "Never to interrupt the Rush Sisters?"

**_~Time can never mend the Careless Whispers of a good friend_**

**_To the heart in mine Ignorance is kind_**

**_There's not comfort in the truth pain is all you find.~_**

**Claire got separated from Cloud somehow and found herself taking down another set of Black Widows by herself. **They seemed so much easier to take down this time, but why? Something just wasn't…just wasn't right.

"I was wondering when you were going to show back up." The man's voice made Claire turn around to find who had joined her. "I feared that you had forgotten about us completely."

The man was thin with long, unkempt black hair and red, cat-like eyes. A pair of mechanical wings spread from her back as he wore a grey Mako suit with straightjacket like arms. He wore a pair of grey boots with blue soles and there were strips of metal across his face as a gun was on either of his legs. Something about this man…she didn't know what it was, but he did seem familiar to her.

"Do I know you?" Claire asked, gripping her sword.

The man closed his eyes. "I don't understand it. What could have made you forget everything? What made you forget both of us. Forget him?"

"Who is him?" She demanded. "Ever since this Deepground crap started you and your Rosso friend have been telling me that I've forgotten someone! Now who in the hell are you talking about?!"

The man closed his eyes. "I suppose that I have to remind you of everything, won't I?" One of his wings shot out and the hand-like end of it grabbed her head before Claire could move.

She didn't see the man in front of her anymore. Instead she just found herself staring at a young man about the same age as she was when she first started as an Infantryman with long, spiky white hair and blue eyes with yellow rings around the pupils as he dressed in white and gray.

_"You're part of ShinRa, too? Same here."_

_"Something called Deepground."_

_"What's your name?" _

_"I'm Weiss, and this is my brother Nero."_

_"Oh, you have a brother, too? Maybe we should get together sometime and hang out. It's nice to meet someone closer to my age."_

_"Uh oh, I think we've been caught. Claire, I'll be here later tonight, if you wanna hang out some more!" _

Claire didn't understand what was going on but at the same time it felt so familiar, like she knew who she was talking too. And that boy, the brother, he was the one standing in front of her now. Nero…

_"You actually came. I'm surprised."_

_"Normally, people run when they see me or my brother."_

_"I'm not sure why, it just…it…"_

_"Yeah; hurts."_

_"Hanging out with you is lots of fun, Claire."_

_"Do it more often? What do you mean?"_

_"You mean…you would like to see more of me? What about my brother?"_

_"Of course he'd want to come!"_

_"Once a week? No problem! You can show me around the city!"_

_"Don't worry. I'll be here!"_

What was going on? What was she seeing? She recognized the man. It was the one from the video announcement that they had watched in the back of the van with Reeve, just younger. He knew her name, and knew about Cloud, too. Was she in trouble? Or was this just…

_"You know, you're the first girl I've ever really talked to. I like it. I like you."_

_"What do you mean 'what do I mean'? I like you. You talk to me, not run. You…you accept me."_

_"I…I want to do something for you. Something special. Maybe tomorrow we can…"_

_"You're going on a mission with Sephiroth and Sienna? For how long?"_

_"You don't know…well don't worry. I'll be right here, waiting for you to come back, no matter how long it takes! And then we can, I can take you somewhere special."_

_No matter how long, Claire…_

Claire's breaths were fast and deep as the man's picture slowly faded from her mind. What in the hell was all of that? That mission with Sephiroth and Sienna…had he been talking about the mission to Nibelheim? How did he know?

"That man…Weiss…did we-"

"Get away from her!" Nero jumped back just in time as a lance came down on his previous spot and Zeke landed between them.

"It appears that we have been interrupted." Nero closed his eyes. "I will see you again soon, Claire." He evaporated into a dark portal as the woman continued to breathe hard.

"Are you all right?"

Claire looked up and found Zeke with a worried look on his face. "Yeah," she nodded.

"Good. Why are you here by yourself?" He asked her. "Where's Vincent?"

Claire crossed her arms and glanced away. "I'd rather not talk about him, if you don't mind."

Zeke stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. "Claire, I know how you feel but this is not the time to be acting like this. Right now we need to be serious and take care of these Deepground chumps. And from the way they beat you to hell and back when you were together, just imagine how bad Vincent is going to be doing on his own." Claire frowned, not wanting to hear this but she sighed as Zeke placed a hand on her shoulder. "After this is over, I'll help you beat the hell out of Vincent for whatever he did, okay?"

That made her smile. "You got yourself a deal."

"Good," Zeke shoulder his lance and turned towards the ruined ShinRa building. "Now, let's go find Vampire-Boy."


	12. Chapter 10

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Ten_**

**_Kidnapped_**

**"Oh, still alive, I see." **Rosso grinned. "And you call yourself human."

"More human than you." Vincent growled.

"Huh? More human than I? Oh That's funny, coming from the man that made Claire run off from him." Vincent narrowed his eyes. How in the hell had she known about that? "Then again, it is true so try telling me something that I don't already know, darling. I traded all my human weaknesses for power long ago. It is the path I've chosen and the path I tread until I suck all life from this pitiful world! And I'm not going to let you get in the way." She began to circle him. "You have lived long enough, Vincent Valentine. And I'll make sure that you don't come back this time by slicing you into pieces!" She pulled out her weapon. "Do you know why they call me the Crimson? Let me show you!" Vincent pulled out his gun and she grinned. "You couldn't even bare to hold me off with your little friend with you last time so it makes me wonder how you're going to do on your own."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that any longer because I'm the one that you're going to be fighting, not him."

Both of them turned to find Zeke and Claire standing behind them. The man wore a smile, announcing that he was ready for battle as the woman just stood there, a blank look on her face.

Rosso smiled. "Ah, so reinforcements have come."

"Vincent, Claire," Zeke moved forward, his land appearing in his hand. "Go on ahead. I can take care of her."

"By yourself?" Claire asked him.

"Of course. Remember who you're talking to. The cousin of the one and only Zack Fair! It took an entire army to take him down; this thin witch has nothing on me."

~Yeah,~ Claire scratched the back of her head. ~I thought that, too~ "Just be careful."

"Same to you." He waved over his shoulder as Claire moved towards the door they needed to get through. "And Vincent," The man had yet to move. "Try not to piss Claire off anymore that she already is, all right? I do live right next door to her and I don't want to have to listen to her all night, got it?"

The man in red stayed silent before following after Claire, leaving Zeke to handle himself against Rosso. "Claire," he moved after her. "Claire, wait."

"We don't have time to talk, Vincent." She told him, not pausing in her steps. "I want to get this all over with so I can go back home and you can go back off to wherever it is that you go."

Vincent paused. "What do you-"

"Here," She paused and pulled her necklace off. "Take it back. I don't want it anymore." She turned and tossed it to him.

Vincent stared down at it. It was the Cerberus pendant that he had given to her three years ago just before the final fight with Sephiroth and Sienna. "But Claire," She had already stalked off, leaving the door behind her open. Vincent sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the hurt feeling he held as he moved after her. He deserved it all but it didn't lessen the pain. This was all his fault and he doubted that he could fix it this time.

Glancing up at the ShinRa building, Claire found the memories of the fight that had progressed between Sephiroth and Sienna with the Strife and Rush siblings. She glanced over her shoulder as Vincent's phone rang. She ignored everything as he began to talk to Shelke. She began to think about the party that they were going to have next week. It was going to be in the country; she didn't want it to be in their city. She wanted it in a large field where they could all run around like little kids again. She was sure that she and Yuffie were going to be the only ones running with the children, Tifa might join in for a little bit, but she didn't care. She was going to enjoy her birthday.

Something smacked on the ground behind her and Claire turned to find Vincent falling to his knees, clutching at his chest much like he had on Cid's ship. "Vincent!" She hurried to his side in worry, grabbing his arms. She didn't know what to do. A hound ran up on him but Claire shot it, keeping her other hand on his shoulder. It took a moment or two longer but he finally stood up, breathing hard as he looked around, confusion clear on his face.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Why is Chaos…why now?" He shook his head.

"Maybe…you should stop." Claire told him. "Go back to Reeve and Cid. It might be better for you to do so."

"No," He shook his head. "I'm fine…" Shelke made a comment about Protomateria. "Protomateria?" Vincent asked. ~Hojo said something about this three years ago before we killed him. Protomateria…if Sienna had it, does this mean that she got it from me?~ "Control Chaos?" ~Is that why Sienna was able to control the Weapons and Omega?~

"_Yes," _Shelke's voice reached them. _"If you recall you had it extracted from your chest by Rosso." _Shelke's voice was changed into Lucrecia's again. _"Chaos. While apart of you, the entity exists independently from the rest of your body."_

"Shelke?" Vincent called to her.

_"Chaos, the Harbinger of Anarchy." _Guess whose voice it was.

"Lucretia?" Vincent asked.

Claire whipped around instantly, anger flaring in her chest. "Are you serious?! Even now! Goddammit!" She pushed away from the man but he was intent with what he was watching. Hot tears swelled up in her eyes but she hurriedly wiped them away, refusing to let him see them.

"_You must fight him. I don't want you to die!"_

"Lucretia!"

Things fell silent after a few moments longer. "Let's just get this over with," Claire hissed, shoving her way inside the ruined ShinRa building. They were heading down below to the Reactor 0. She remembered that they had past it in their original adventure before. Right around the time that they were on their way to stop Hojo from firing the Mako to Sephiroth and Sienna. The thought of that crazy bastard sent a shiver down her back as she entered the next room just to have a machine drop down in front of them.

"Another Black Widow?" Claire asked, a hand on her hip. "Imagine that. Just how many of these damn things do they have?" Her anger was quickly able to take down that damn machine, resulting in Vincent not even having to move. He tried to talk to her but every time she ignored him to where he finally just fell quiet and pulled out his phone. He dialed the number several times but received nothing.

"Can't get ahold of her?" Claire asked.

Vincent shoved his phone back in his pocket and moments later Claire's phone rang.

_"Hey! I got through!" _A bright voice cried.

_"What? You got through?"_ Another voice joined them. "_Yo-ho! Vincent! Claire! You two still alive?"_

_"Of course they are; we're talking to them, aren't we? And do you really have to shout like that into my ear?"_

"Tifa? Barret?" Claire recognized the voices. "Glad to see that you two are still the same. What's up?"

_"Claire."_ The third voice made Claire loose her smile. _"Do you remember what Jeanne said?"_

She closed her eyes. "Of course I do. And I'm going to do exactly what she said. No matter what!"

_"Good."_ Cloud paused. _"Vincent."_

"Cloud." The man replied, moving closer as Claire put her phone on speaker. "It's been a while."

Cloud told them about an attack.

"Cid's Airship?" Claire cried. "Are he and the kids all right?"

_"We lost contact with him about 15 minutes ago. I don't think we have to worry though. They should be fine."_

"Yeah." Both Claire and Vincent said together, hanging their heads. "Cid wouldn't let anything happen to the triplets."

"What about you?" Vincent asked.

Cloud gave a small chuckle. _"What do you think?"_

_"You can count on us,"_ Tifa assured him. _"After all, Jeanne's kicking ass with Jena as the other Turks are here lending a hand as well. We'll be fine."_

_"And as for you?"_ Cloud asked.

"Don't worry," Vincent told him. "Leave Deepground to us."

_"Can you hold on a second?"_ Cloud passed the phone back to Tifa.

_"I'm sending you a map of the ShinRa building. If Jeanne was there with you then you wouldn't need it, but she's not so…Deepground is below the complex. Take an elevator as deep down as you can. Good luck!"_

_"Give them hell, guys!" _Barret cried as gunshots could be heard.

_"Barret, I thought I said-"_

_"Don't go getting yourselves killed now,"_ Cloud told them both. _"We still have our birthday next week, remember?"_

"I got it, Cloud." Claire laughed at her brother before she hung up the phone. "So, down we go."

There were many Deepground soldiers waiting on they as they moved through the floors. Claire led the way, leaving Vincent to either fall behind or keep up. She did as much as she could to try and forget that he was even there but his gunshots were making that hard as they whizzed past her ears. She didn't count how long it took but soon they reached the second elevator.

They moved further onto the elevator to find Azul waiting on them; sort of.

"Who in the hell beat you up?" Claire asked, glancing at all the wounds on the man's body. She then noticed the ice and the puncture wounds. "Ah. I guess that Jeanne and Jena got ahold of you, didn't they?"

"So, Rosso didn't survive." Azul sighed.

"Against Zeke?" Claire asked. "I doubt it."

"Something inside you wants out," Azul commented to Vincent. "Its stench is so very familiar." He tossed his head back and gave a laugh. "Come, Vincent. Show me your rage. Now, let the killing begin."

Azul's attention was all against Vincent, leaving Claire in the dust. All her attacks on him seemed to do nothing and she was just swatted away like a fly. Pounding her fist into the ground she punched herself back up to run back in but froze at the man that stood before her.

"Nero,"

"Claire," The man closed his eyes. "He's called for you."  
"Called for me?" She raised a brow.

"I am to take you to him."

"To Weiss?" Claire glanced over at Vincent as he fought Azul. "I can't just leave!"

"You want to see him, don't you?" Nero asked her. She bit her lip. "Then just come with me."

She lowered her head. "I…I can't."

Nero sighed, shaking his head. "You're as stubborn as you were once were." Claire went to move around him but his metal wings shot out again and grabbed her. "But Weiss has called for you and so I shall deliver."

She struggled against him but he was too strong. "Vincent!" She screamed.

The man in red instantly turned from his own battle in time to see both of them disappear in one of Nero's dark pools. "Claire!" He cried.

"Don't worry about her!" Azul grinned. "This is how a battle should be. Don't you think so?" Vincent clutched at his chest again, his eyes zooming between Azul and where Claire had been standing. "Feel my true strength. Feel the wrath of Azul the Cerulean!" He lit up in a blue light and he transformed into that creature they had run into at WRO Headquarters.

"Well, well, well, would you look at that? I come looking for a scared mouse and I end up catching a rat."

Vincent turned around, recognizing the voice instantly. "Jeanne?"

The woman, Genesis' blade on her shoulder, gave a smile before taking a step forward from the shadows. "You didn't think that I was just going to let you run off from our battle, did you?" She asked Azul. "My sister would have come as well, if she didn't return to help Rufus with Cid's Airship." Azul gave off a roar and charged at her.  
"Stay back, Vincent. I can handle this one." Gripping Genesis' blade, she tan at the creature, a look of pure enjoyment on her face.

Vincent watched as the woman dealt blow after blow to Azul. He had forgotten that Jeanne was once a SOLDIER. Their love for battle was high, but he had never seen this loon on her face before. Perhaps…maybe because the last battles had been with Sephiroth and Sienna. The two of them were like her parents. Her urge to battle them must have been nearly none.

At the last moment, Azul changed his course and hit Vincent instead, slamming him against the railing.

"You dirty-" Jeanne's curse was cut off by Vincent transforming into Chaos and exploding right beneath the large monster. She covered her eyes as her hair and jacket whipped around her. When it all faded back to normal, Chaos and Azul's normal form stood before her now, glaring at the other.

"Chaos," Azul gasped. Jeanne watching, deciding not to get involved at this moment as Chaos lifted Azul's big gun and threw it at him. He wore a vicious smile as it penetrated his foe. "It looks like…you were more a beast…that I. How that woman…cares for you so much…I'll never know." He began to back up. "I'll see you again, Vincent…In hell!"

Chaos gave a loud roar that echoed through the area as he charged up an attack. Jeanne tossed her arms over her head as it fired, knocking Azul off and plummeting down to his fate as he laughed. ~Falling to his death and still laughing like a maniac? What's wrong with these people?~ Jeanne turned and found the noise had been made by a phone on the ground. She picked it up and turned it over in her hand. ~Where did this come from?~ She wondered. A roar caught her attention, reminding her the situation that she was in. Chaos began to strike out with his arms as his eyes landed on Jeanne. She frowned. "Don't even think about it, bub." She knew that whenever Vincent was in Chaos mode he would attack everything; but Claire. Claire was always the safe one, they just never knew why, outside of their thoughts answering that question. Would Jeanne be attacked like the others?

As Chaos shot forward, teeth bared, she received her answer. Taking the blunt side of Genesis' sword, Jeanne pulled back before landing a hit on Chaos' face, sending him flying backwards and to the floor. Vincent returned back to normal and rolled over a couple of times.

Jeanne sighed, scratching the back of her head as Vincent lay there, knocked out. "What to do, what to do." She moved over to the railing and sat down on it, thinking quietly to herself over everything that had just happened. She hoped that Vincent wasn't pissed at her for attacking him.

"Chaos…" The voice made her lift her head. "Lucretia used me to…Lucretia…"

"Dude, you gotta let that go." Vincent turned his head to see Jeanne sitting on the railing as the elevator continued to go down the final floors. "Believe me, I understand everything that you're going through, everything you feel, but this is just too much, my friend. Let it go before you lose everything else." Vincent stayed silent and Jeanne rolled her eyes. ~Just like Cloud a year ago~ She sighed, standing again. "Do you know whose phone this is?"

The man pushed himself up and looked at what she held out to him. "It's Shelke's." He answered her. ~But how did it end up here?~

"The brat that switched sides?" Jeanne asked.

"Yes."

"Well, that's not good." Jeanne frowned. "If it's here and not on Cid's ship with her that mean's she's not on the ship anymore either."

"Possible." Vincent closed his eyes. "Most likely." The elevator finally stopped at a huge, dark door that began to open for them. "Deepground," Vincent hissed. "ShinRa's dark secret. Three years of hell below. Now a world of hell above. The path to darkness opens once more." He took a step forward but Jeanne's voice stopped him.

"Vincent. Where's Claire?" He turned from her, hanging his head. "So, they did take her." She shook her head. "Then it looks like you've got another partner for the moment, Vincent." He glanced at her again. "What? There's no way in hell I'm just going to let her disappear. Claire needs all the help she can get right now! So come on, let's go get her!"

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	13. Chapter 11

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Eleven_**

**_Deep Ground_**

**The place was HUGE.**

Deepground were waiting on them. Units and Units of men with guns and swords raining hell down on them. How did so many men live down here…

That was a dumb question. It was like another Slums, just this time under the original slums. But why had ShinRa treated them like this? It was horrible! It just made her more and more glad that ShinRa was finally done with. Jeanne kept silent, trying to keep her nose out of the events happening between him and Claire. This wasn't something that was any of her business, no matter how much she wanted to knock some sense into the man beside her.

It was an underground city with streets and bridges and it was there on one of those bridges that they ran into their next main problem.

"Hey!" Jeanne cried as a black void began to form beneath them. "What in the hell is this?"

Vincent grabbed onto her jacket but somehow his grip was ripped away, leaving Jeanne standing by herself in the dark abysmal. She glanced around into nothing, and sighed before she closed her eyes. Everything was silent until a small warmth began to burn against her chest. Lowering her hand, she lifted the Medallion around her neck as it shine a little light. It was the Medallion that Angeal had left behind all those years ago for her and Sienna. She had given her Medallion to Genesis three years ago and this one that she wore now…Sienna had given it to her right before Nibelheim; she had left it in that bag with all the books. She never too it off…

"Not afraid of a little darkness, are you Jeanne?" Glancing up, Jeanne felt a small smile spread across her face at the form that stood before her now.

"Mother,"

Sienna gave her own smile as she turned to face her. The woman was at 5'11' with long black hair to her waist and matching, cat-like eyes. She was dressed head to foot in black leather and the jacket covered all but the crest of the grey top she wore. A pair of crystal earrings hung from her ears and a pair of black gloves were on her hands.

"You just keep having to come back, don't you?" Jeanne asked.

Sienna gave a small laugh. "I will be here whenever you need me, Jeanne, no matter where I am."

"Is that right?" Jeanne let the Medallion drop to her chest again. "Then I suppose you could answer my questions. Omega. You've met it, haven't you?"

"Omega?" Sienna closed her eyes. "I spent seven years raising the Weapons in that crater. What do you think the answer would be?"

"So you…you're the only one that can truly control it, aren't you?"

Sienna looked at her student. Control? No. No one can ever control Omega. Omega has a mind of his own. Now saying that he listens to me is a whole different scenario; but only if I were still alive."

Jeanne felt a twinge of pain but tossed it away. "So, you could tell me how to destroy Omega, right?"

"To Destroy Omega?" Sienna tilted her head. "Omega cannot be destroyed. He will always be there, as will Chaos. All until the planet's life truly is over. And then, when they find a new planet, they will lie dormant until their time is needed once again."

"So, there goes that idea." Jeanne sighed, shaking her head.

Sienna took a few steps towards the young woman, that smile still on her face. "This battle is not going to be like the others that you've held. The only one that can go against Omega and even hope to stop him is Chaos. And that can only happen if the man that possesses Chaos grows a pair of balls to do so."

Jeanne held back a chuckle. "You do know that you're talking about a man that is a part of you, right?"

Sienna tilted her head with a coy smile. "I didn't know him so I don't care."

"Ouch."

"It may sound like that but if you didn't know him then you wouldn't care either." The woman closed her eyes again. "His powers won't work on you as long as you wear the Medallion so I would advise you don't take it off."

Jeanne watched as the other woman disappeared and the area in Deepground returned to her vision. "I never have."

"Jeanne, are you all right?"

She looked at Vincent. "Yeah. Yourself?"

"Yes. What-"

"A pleasure to finally meet you. Both of you." They glanced to the side to find a strange man in black.

"So, you're the one Zeke warned me about, huh?" Jeanne asked. "Nero, right?"

"Indeed." He nodded. "I knew that you were going to be strong. You are Sienna's prodigy, after all. But you…" He glared at Vincent. "At first I thought you to be nothing more than a nuisance. However, it seems that I can no longer let you run about unchained. I must protect my beloved brother."

"Your brother?" Vincent asked.

"Dear Weiss," Nero replied. Vincent's eyes narrowed at the name. "Powerful Weiss. The only person who ever loved me. And the only person I will ever love. However," Nero hung his head before glancing to the side. "That is all forgotten. In a matter of moments, everything will change."

"What does Weiss want with Claire?" Jeanne demanded.

Nero stared at her. "Weiss waited for her for seven years. That's all the explanation that I can give to you."

"Then what did you do with Shelke?" Vincent asked.

"Shelke?" Nero's voice sounded like he was teasing. "Ah, yes. What did I do with her? I do remember running into the lass when I journeyed to the Air Ship. A feisty one, she is." He grinned. "The girl is inside me. Lost, like a little puppy." Vincent slowly pulled Cerberus out. "Ah," Nero stared at it. "So you wish to dance?" His wings spread out as guns of his own formed from dark balls in his hands.

With this battle, Jeanne felt like Nero was holding back on them and as Vincent's fist sent the man flying back, she knew she was right. By why?

"Impressive," Nero told the other man. "Perhaps Rosso and Azul never would have stood a chance against the mighty Valentine, even if his friends didn't show up to save him. But enough. I have other matters to attend to." Another dark voice began to form around Vincent's legs, sending him off to another field as the medallion around Jeanne's neck kept her enshrouded in light before Nero. "I have been waiting to talk to you, Jeanne Rush."

"And why is that?" She gripped Genesis' blade.

"Why?" He chuckled. "You are the Great Sienna's Prodigy. She poured her soul, her being, into you before you turned on eachother. You are all that is left of that amazing woman and as time goes on it will all fade away until nothing remains."

"Just what do you want?" Jeanne asked him.

"I want everything. Genesis constantly talked about her and so I wish to know all that he did, to see all that he did."

"Genesis…" She firmed her grip on his blade. "Tell me, where is he?"

"Oh, that's right. You know Genesis as well, don't you?" Nero gave a laugh. "Then how about a trade? The man for the Medallion." Jeanne lifted her hand. "What do you-"

Nero wore a look of shock as Vincent and Shelke both dropped out of the giant ball of darkness. "I see," He stumbled over his words a bit. "Soul wrought of terra corrupt…my darkness would have no control over you either, would it? So I must try a different dance. How about-" He summoned up a larger black mass behind him but everything was cut short by a ninja star striking the ground beside them. Jeanne sighed at the cloaked figure nearby and rubbed her temples as the ninja's speech began.

"Even in a world were fear and despair reign over the heavens you must never forget that where's there's shadow there is always light! That's right! Bask in my rays, evildoers! Feel the radiance of Wutai's super ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi! Back and ready for action!"

Nero stared at her for a moment before turning away. "My brother calls." He disappeared into the dark mass as they put their weapons away. As Vincent checked on Shelke, Jeanne turned to Yuffie.

"Are Cid and the children all right?"

Yuffie jumped down to join her but did something wrong to where she fell instead and slid across the ground on her face to stop at Jeanne's feet.

"You all right?" She asked her.

Yuffie got up with a smile. "I'm fine. Aunt Yuie went back to Cid and the kids to make sure that they're okay and now I'm here to-" she cut herself off and moved forward to catch Shelke as she collapsed. "What's wrong with her?"

"She needs Mako," Vincent explained.

Jeanne turned. "I'm sure there's something down here to put her in."

They found and left Shelke in a healing tube to replenish her Mako energy and turned back to the ninja with them.

"Okay let me see if I got this right. You two are going to keep going to find Nero and Weiss and save Claire from her kidnappers by smacking them into next Tuesday." Yuffie began. "And while you're cleaning house, I sneak into the reaction and shut her down! Ha ha! Sounds like a plan!"

"Don't hurt yourself." Jeanne told her as she ran off.

"Don't worry about me! I'm the great ninja Yuffie!"

"That's exactly why I am worried." Jeanne sighed.

She then turned, giving Vincent and Shelke a moment alone. She didn't understand what was going on with the two of them; all she wanted was to find Claire and keep her safe.

When they left the room to continue on their journey, the Deepground enemies seemed to thin out, giving them nothing to really do but walk as they reached the outer door to the Reactor 0.

"You two don't look too roughed up." Yuffie commented as she rejoined them.

"Neither do you." Vincent replied.

"What were you expecting?" Jeanne wondered.

Yuffie gave a smile before turning to look down the hall. "In there, huh?"

"Yeah." Vincent nodded.

"Yuffie," Jeanne began. "I need you to do me a favor."

"And what is that?"

"Leave."

The ninja stared at her in shock. "What? By why?!"

"I'm not trying to sound mean, Yuffie," The woman told her. "But Nero is too much for you. He could catch you in his darkness. And if he could do that, I don't want to know what Weiss can do. I'm here to save Claire and I'm afraid that if you stick around to help it would just cause more problems for Vincent and I."

Yuffie stared at her for a moment. "But I want to help! This is what I came all the way for!"

"I know, but I don't want you to get hurt or even worse. You have three kids to help Renee take care of, remember?"

The ninja paced, trying to cool her anger off. "All right, but this isn't going to happen next time, Jeanne!"

The ex-SOLDIER nodded. "Thanks for understanding, Yuffie."

Vincent watched as Yuffie ran off and closed his eyes. "Good idea."

"I've been going through things like this for nearly twelve years. I know when things are about to get seriously dangerous."

"Shouldn't you leave as well?" He asked her.

Jeanne gave him a smile as she moved towards the door. "And let you have all the fun? I think not."

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	14. Chapter 12

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Twelve_**

**_Surprise, Surprise_**

**The room glowed in a bright blue from the Mako resources around them as they moved closer to the large structure in the center.**

"Vincent!" Claire cried out from the man's feet. Her eyes then landed on the other woman. "Jeanne?

"This is Weiss?" Vincent asked.

Jeanne placed a hand on her hip as she stared at the white-haired man that had Claire chained to his chair like a dog. "Not what I had been expecting." His body was limp as he just lay there, unmoving. "Is he dead?"

"Not for long." Both turned to see that Nero had joined them again.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"A new life breaths inside him, just as one does in you, Valentine."

"Oh," Jeanne shook her head.

Vincent caught on to it as well. "Huh. That's what you're doing."

"Soon, my dear brother will awaken," Nero looked at the white-haired man. "It seems like an eternity since I was granted the knowledge of rebirth."

"Granted?" Vincent asked him.

"By who?" Jeanne demanded. The room began to shake as the Mako began to grow brighter, making its move. Claire gave out a whimper and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to protect herself from whatever it could be.

"Claire!" She went to run forward by Nero stepped into her path.

"Stay away from my brother!" He cried, shooting a huge shot of dark energy at them.

"How many times do we have to show you that your energy isn't going to work on us?" Jeanne growled, stomping out of the vortex.

Nero spoke, ignoring her. "Oblivion, perhaps. My darkness. It can absorb as well as extract almost anything. However, some things remain. Things as black as the heart of a demon. Ah, the essence of death. It's moderations are like a lullaby."

"All right," Jeanne pulled out Genesis' sword. "Let's play!"2

"No one will take my brother away from me again!" Nero cried as the dark spread along the floor.

Jeanne didn't know where he took them to fight but she could honestly say that she did not like it. It was similar to where they fought Sephiroth and Sienna three years ago but at the same time completely different. The battle was separated into three different parts but the Jeanne and Vincent working together he failed all three times.

"He died, waiting for her to return!" Nero growled, pushing himself up from the floor as the Mako began to grow. "And so she will be the first thing he sees when he reawakens!"

"Claire!" Jeanne cried as the Mako burst out of the room. She hurried back in, Vincent right behind her.

Weiss was now standing, in front of his chair as Claire still sat at his feet, staring ahead of him. Nero stood across the way, relief sounding through his voice as he called his brother's name.

"Weiss…my beloved brother…it is time." Weiss took deep breath before a strange laugh flooded from his mouth. "Together," Nero reached forward as he moved closer. "Weiss, I won't leave you again. Never, Weiss." The older brother blinked once before ramming his hand through his brother's stomach. Claire held back a cry of shock as Jeanne' mouth dropped open. "Weiss," He gasped.

"I'm finished with you," Weiss growled before tossing him towards Vincent. Jeanne moved quickly and caught Nero before he could hit the floor, causing the man any more damage.

Claire watched as Weiss looked over his body and began to laugh again. He jumped across the room. Vincent began to fire at him but the bullets bounced right back off. "Your weapons are useless! My body is one with Omega just as yours is with Chaos. The difference being Chaos is nothing more than a pawn. Whereas Omega is the Ultimate Weapon that will lead this planet's soul to the stars. There is nothing that can destroy me!" He chuckled. "Nothing!" He placed a hand on his hip. "Vincent Valentine. Jeanne Rush. And so we meet again."

"You!" Claire growled. "You're not Weiss! You're not him!"

Her answer was another chuckle. "Still in the dark. Three years ago while out on the search for Sephiroth and Sienna I distributed my data, my mind, my knowledge, my inner being across the world-wide network." With that, Jeanne's eyes narrowed. She knew who this was. It was unbelievable, but here was the proof. "And even though my body had died and the world had been left in ruin I survived in a virtual reality. When the network was restored the scattered data was regrouped and I was reborn. A neo-reunion, you could say."

"You," It seemed that Vincent had caught on as well. "You…"

"What's the matter, Hojo?" Jeanne scowled. "Can't you just accept that fact that you've lost and leave us in peace?"

"Ho-Hojo?" Claire asked in shock.

Weiss let out another laugh but this time it wasn't in that deep voice. This time it was that annoying, high-pitched monstrosity. "That's right! It's me! Hojo! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Let us do this right. Hello Vincent. Hello Jeanne. How long has it been? Three years? You know, when I first read it, I thought that woman's thesis was total nonsense," He referred to Lucretia's report. I couldn't believe some fabled beast from legend past had anything to do with your survival. However, three years ago when you transformed into Chaos right before my eyes, I must say I was shocked."

The trio closed their eyes for a moment, relieving the fight that Hojo was talking about. Jeanne hated it; hated not making sure that the bastard was truly dead.

_"Cloud, Claire," Jena called to the twins. "Cut off its top arm. Jeanne, Vincent, try to take care of its head. Zeke, Tifa, attack it straight on. Keep him busy while I pull out my summon."_

_"Got it!" Claire grinned. _

_Claire turned back to face the creature just to get slashed across the chest by its tail. The tail was sharp like blades, slicing into her chest. She was thrown back, her brother catching her. Things seemed to go slowly for a moment as Cloud screamed his sister's name until a large burst of energy made everything fall back into place. It was only seconds later that a large form with wings zoomed past her, heading for Hojo. She lifted her head, watching Vincent in his transformed body as he beat the hell out of Hojo's new form. Tifa winced as blood splattered all over the floor and a roar sounded from Hojo as he dispersed back to his human form, panting and groaning as he dragged himself away from man in red._

_"Look!" Vincent growled, stomping after him as he struggled to keep control over his form. "Look at what you've done to me! Look!"_

_"You are a fool," Hojo laughed at him as blood spilled over his lips. "You think you are the only creation I made with Protomateria inside of you? Gast created Sienna while I created Sephiroth but while Sephiroth moved and learned, Sienna was stuck inside her tube. It wasn't until I placed the Protomateria inside of her that she came to life. She had your blood inside of her, Vincent, so it took to her as kindly as it did to you! Lucretia thought that I didn't know, but I know everything!"_

_"You don't know anything!" Jeanne's voice was cold as she glared at the crazy scientist. "If you had known something then you wouldn't be this crazed demon, you bastard! Genesis…Angeal…Sienna…Sephiroth…Zack! You destroy everything that you touch!" Vincent glanced at her for a moment._

_Hojo stared up at her in silence and watched as she left, leaving Vincent, still in his winged form, to take her place. He laughed. "You will never…be able…to control…Chaos," He gasped. "Not without…me…and nor…without…Sienna."_

_Vincent glared down at him for a moment before giving out a large and long shout. Claire sat up, watching with all the others are the man in red returned to his regular for. He hunched over, breathing hard as he shoved himself to his full height. "My daughter," He growled. "And I have had enough of you!"_

_"You're daughter?" Hojo sounded insane as he laughed some more. "You don't know anything. She is not your daughter! She was a wretched baby that Gast found in the alleys of Junon!" Jena and Jeanne's heads both popped up before they gazed at the other. "She is a-"_

_A gunshot fired and it went through the doctor's forehead. He slumped forward on the Control Panel, his blood seeping out over the controls. "My blood…my daughter," the man in red growled. "Even if I haven't met her." He then sighed, cooling his anger. "Hojo," Vincent closed his eyes and holstered his gun. "Rest in peace…"_

"Who'd have thought her theory was actually valid?" Hojo asked. "And o I began thinking. It Chaos exists, then so too must Omega. And if you could become one then I could become the other." Jeanne shook her head as Hojo continued. This man was just as crazy as ever. Damn. She had been praying that she'd never have to deal with this foolish bastard again but it seemed that he kept coming back to her.

"But there was a problem. Only a strong shell could hold back Omega's might. And it could not be just anyone. You see, the reason you were able to play such a perfect host to Chaos was because of my experiments have endowed you with a nearly indestructible body. Thanks to me you are standing here today." He gave another laugh and then sighed. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, I attempted to perfect my body for Omega by injecting myself with Jenova's cells. However, that didn't go as I had planned. I failed to consider the fact that the cells might try to eat my mind and take over my soul. And so, as a safety measure, I came up with a brilliant plan." Jeanne listened as the crazy man explained how he had begun to use Deepground and how he tricked Nero into working for him. "And thus with my new body I began my final experiment. If the Chaos within you was born of a tainted Lifestream then the almighty Omega will be born of a pure one."

"You can't do anything with Omega!" Claire cried. "Only Sienna can control them! Without her, you can't do anything! You're not…not pure, you fool!" She told him. He turned to look at her. "The moment you try to do anything with that creature you will burn in the fires of hell for the rest of eternity you bastard!"

"Only a scientist of my caliber can become one with Omega and leave with planet for the stars!"

"You just don't get it at all." Jeanne shook her head. "You're just so stupid, you crazy old loon! I've heard enough of all of this! We're going to stop you here once and for all and this time you're not coming back!"

Vincent began to fire but Weiss/Hojo blocked everything, knocking Vincent to the ground. Jeanne went to help but Nero's grip on her arm was still there.

"Don't move," He whispered to her. "Not yet."

"You're getting old, Vincent Valentine." He laughed. "You just can't leave me alone, can you? Now sit right there. I want you to see this." He moved closer to where Claire sat, his voice returning to Weiss'. "And once I have absorbed the Lifestream," He held his hand out, summoning the Mako to him.

"This isn't over." Vincent growled, standing back up.

"So you're here to die, are we?" He asked. "Very well. But here, let's make it more interesting." Dropping his hand, he moved towards Claire and ripped her chain out of the chair. The woman fought to get away but she couldn't even make him move. Her punches and kicks made him stumble but that was about it.

"Leave her alone!" Vincent went to shoot again but Claire was used as a shield. He growled, lowering Cerberus. "Let her go, Hojo!"

"I have a question for you, Vincent." The man began. "I've been watching you this entire time. You still long after Lucretia while this poor girl here is offering to give you everything. Her heart. Her soul. Her body. And still you refuse it for the memory of a woman that ignored you for me. ME! How much of a fool are you, Valentine?" Hojo/Weiss shook his head. "Now we're going to see just how far you're going to go." He grabbed the back of Claire's neck. "Remember that chip I had Rosso place in her? I had to think of a way to insert it into her without the fear of you all removing it again. It seems so that the serum that I concocted worked." Vincent searched his thoughts. ~It must have happened while we were in Nibelheim. After I was knocked out.~

"Why?" Claire growled at Hojo/Weiss. She tried to remove his grip but he was too strong. "Why did you choose me and not Jeanne? Jeanne's strength is closer to Sienna and Sephiroth's. She would have been the better choice."

"It is because of her strength that I couldn't choose her." He answered her like it was a simple answer. "Jeanne would be too powerful. Rosso would have been killed by that other woman while she nearly killed you twice."

"You're just as sick and twisted as ever." Jeanne growled. Nero's grip was still on her, whispering for her to wait.

"True, true," Hojo/Weiss laughed. "Just wait until you see this." Claire gave a grunt as He shot Mako into her. Vincent cried her name as she was dropped to her knees and went to run forward but froze as she pushed herself back to her feet.

"Claire, are you…" Vincent's voice caught as she lifted her head. Her face was blank but her eyes…they were no longer those gray ones that Vincent knew her by. They were the bright blue of the Mako as barcodes danced across them over and over again. "What are you doing to her, Hojo?"

"As I said, I'm making this all a little funner. Let's just see how far you will go to keep me from finishing my plan, Valentine."

Vincent stared at Claire in horror as he pulled out her sword against him, Hojo's cackling laugh echoing around the room.

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	15. Chapter 13

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Thirteen_**

**_Vincent VS Claire_**

**Nothing moved. **Everything was silent as they all just stared at the other. None of them knew what to do or what was going to happen next as anger and hate flooded around the room.

"You bastard." Jeanne's voice finally broke it. She was still kneeling on the ground, the wounded Nero gripping to her for his life. "You just-you never learn! Why can't you just-"

"Jeanne," Vincent's voice was calm as he stood there, staring at Claire.

"What?"

"Stay out of this."

Jeanne opened her mouth to refuse but stopped herself. This was much like her fights with Sienna. She had asked the others to stay out of it as well. What kind of woman would she be if she refused to do the same for them? Sure, she wanted to save Claire but something told her…she had faith in Vincent. Vincent would be able to do it.

Her silence gave Vincent his answer and he closed his eyes for a moment before firing Cerberus off at Hojo/Weiss. Claire moved quickly, using her sword to block the bullets as the crazed man gave off another laugh. "You can't attack me as long as she's still alive, Valentine! My little puppet will keep me safe until her death! You know what you have to do, but can you do it?" He danced around. "Oh, this is so much fun! You have no idea how long I've been waiting to see this show!"

"A show, huh?" Vincent lowered Cerberus again before turning back to Claire. A plan began to flare through his mind but he was worried. Was it going to work? He prayed to god that it would.  
He took off quickly, trying his hardest to keep the fight off of Jeanne and Nero just in case and fired bullets off at the controlled woman that followed him. It was different because she held a sword in her hand but with his flexibility and speed he was able to get past her defenses as she blocked his bullets and grab her from behind.

"Claire, I know you can hear me," Vincent held her tightly from behind as she struggled to get free. "You have to break out of this! You can't let him control you like this!"

Slamming her head backwards, Claire got free as Vincent stumbled back, clutching his face. She wasted no time in hurrying forward again to land a few more fist blows before the man jumped backwards across the room. She grabbed her sword again and followed, slashing out at him again and again. Vincent hissed as one of the blows caught his arm but he shook it off quickly as he fired a few more rounds that were refused their landing.

Jeanne bit her lip, trying her hardest to stay back but worry flooded through her in gallons. If Vincent, of all people, couldn't knock Claire out of this then she was going to have to…

"Do not…fear," Nero's voice struggled. Jeanne glanced down at the man again. He might have been in the middle of dying but his grip was still fierce. "Everything will be…all right."

"How do you know?" She asked him. "How can you be so sure?"

He closed his eyes. "Trust in those close to you. You will find that they can do wondrous things when they are in dire need."

"Dire need?" Jeanne demanded. "Dire need for what!?"

"To have the strength…to save those…most important to them."

"Claire, you have to stop this!" Vincent told her. "Please! You're going to get hurt if you continue like this! I don't…I don't want to hurt you!" Claire's body froze for a moment before quickly continuing with her attacks. An idea spread in his mind. Would this one work? "I…I know that I've been a fool," Vincent told her, dodging her sword again. "I know that I've hurt you over and over again. And I know that I deserve all your wrath but I…I refuse to receive it this way! If you want to get revenge on me, Claire, then break out of Hojo's control and do it yourself!"

"Try all you want," Hojo told him. "But it'll never work! The foolish girl is under my control!"

"You're the only fool here, Hojo." Jeanne replied. "Claire is a lot stronger than you give her credit for! She's gone through nearly as much as I have! You forget that she and her brother are the ones that took down Sephiroth; twice! She's gone through more than you know and is stronger than even you can imagine. Say all you want; in the end you will fall just like last time!"

Vincent tried over and over again but his words didn't seem to be doing anything. What could he say to get through to her? He couldn't hit her or shoot her; he refused to do that, even for a last resort. There was no way that he was going to be able to…

No, he wasn't going to think about that. He couldn't bear to think about losing her like he had Lucretia. Lucretia! Instantly another plan formed into another plan. If this one didn't work…

"Claire!" Vincent dodged another swing and jumped away. "You claim to be strong. To be fierce, but I don't see it. You're letting yourself be controlled by a lunatic who wants to bring death to this world. Death to your family and friends and everyone else that you care for! You tried so hard all those years ago to free me from beneath Nibelheim Manor as I just laid there, swimming in my self-pity and guilt. You let me free and showed me that I had to be strong. It didn't kick in until recently but the more time I spent with you the more I knew that I had to stop all of this and move on. That I had to leave this all behind and start somewhere new; somewhere fresh." He took a breath as her attacks continued to rain down on him. "Now you are under Hojo's control; just like Lucretia was. Are you just going to stand there and let his use you like he did her? Are you too weak to break out of his control and fight back? Fight back, Claire, fight back or am I going to have to lose another-"

"You Bastard!" Claire's voice ripped from her throat as a fierce stab rushed forward to him. Vincent didn't have a chance to dodge this time. He closed his eyes, bracing for the sword to stab him but instead he received a punch to the face, sending him skidding across the floor. He grunted as Claire landed on top of him and her fists battered his chest over and over again.

"Never! Never compare me to that foul woman, you bastard!" Claire's scream vibrated off of the walls. "Never! I am nothing like her! I…I was willing to do anything for you! To give up anything for you! I would have followed you anywhere, done anything you asked, but still you refused me! You refused me and kept going back to her! To the woman that Sienna had locked away in that stupid ice crystal! It's not…It's not fair, Vincent! You can't keep doing this to me! You can't tell me that I'm just like her! I am nothing like her! I refuse to let myself sit in a damn cavern, grieving for what I have done! I would fight back, killing the bastards and getting revenge on them all for what they had done to me! If it ended in my death, then so be it! I am not a coward, Vincent Valentine!"

Vincent didn't have a change to dodge this time. He closed his eyes, bracing for the sword to stab him but instead he received a punch to the face, sending him skidding across the floor. He grunted as Claire landed on top of him and her fists battered his chest over and over again.

"You bastard!" Claire's scream ripped from her throat. "I was willing to do anything for you! To give up anything for you! I would have followed you anywhere, done anything you asked, but still you refused me! You refused me and kept going back to her! To the woman that Sienna had locked away in that stupid ice crystal! It's not…It's not fair, Vincent! You can't keep doing this to me!"

Jeanne felt relief flood through her body. Claire was back to normal. Those barcodes had left her eyes, leaving behind tears and pain. It pained her to see her friend in this way but it had to be done. Whether it ended happily or sadly, this was the beginning of the next step of the relationship between Vincent Valentine and Claire Strife.

"Jeanne…" Nero's soft, weak voice grabbed the woman's attention and she turned back to the man she held in her arms. "Are you willing…to do a fool…one last favor?" She raised her brow for a moment. "All I want…is to be with…my brother."

She gave a small smile. "What do I need to do?"

"I hate you!" Claire hit his chest again. "I hate that you want her more than you do me! I hate that I can't get you out of my head, no matter how many times I've tried to do so! You're like a disease, Vincent!" She closed her eyes and dropped her head as her shoulders trembled. "But you're a…a disease that I need."

Vincent stared at Claire for a moment before pushing himself back up into a sitting position. Lifting his right hand, his fingers slithered up her arm and around to the back of her head where they grasped her hair, pulling her head back before his mouth struck forward for a kiss.

Claire told herself to pull back, to pull away from him. It was going to be like the kiss that they had shared at Zeke and Tifa's wedding a year ago. He would just disappear and leave her behind again. But with all her might, she couldn't force herself to remove herself from the warmth. She curled her arms up and around his shoulders, giving back as much as she gave as the time flew around them both. When Vincent finally pulled back from her, she opened her eyes. Vincent stared at her in silence for a moment before brushing her tears away with his knuckles. Claire's throat caught with the look in his eyes as they delivered her a silent message. A look that made her believe that he meant it.

_Never again._

Vincent pushed himself up off the floor, pulling the woman up with him as he picked Cerberus back up from the floor. He stayed silent before his gaze turned to the other man in the room.

"Your plan has failed, Hojo." Vincent growled. "Again."

Hojo/Weiss tossed his head back, giving a huge laugh on insanity. "You're a fool! I'll never lose! I am invinci-"

"Now!" Nero shouted. He disintegrated into the ground and Jeanne jumped up and rushed as Hojo/Weiss before he could make a move, Genesis' blade landing a true strike on Weiss' body.

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	16. Chapter 14

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_**Omega and Chaos**_

**"My…Weiss**." Nero's voice sounded as he appeared before his brother. Jeanne pulled back, moving out of the way.

"Get out of me!" Hojo cried. "Omega's host must be pure!" He was ignored, though.

"Silence." Nero ordered him. "Silence. I'm speaking with my brother." He glanced back to Weiss. "Dear brother," He reached forward and grabbed his shoulders. "Let us become one. Let us come together so that none may ever tear us apart."

"Yes…" Claire raised her head at the gasping voice. "Yes…let us…go join them." It appeared that Hojo didn't have as much control as he thought he did.

"Weiss," Nero hugged his brother and he disappeared, resulting in joining inside Weiss' body as Hojo let out more refusals. Weiss then stood up and began to stumble to the large pit of Mako before them.

"Wait!" She pulled away from Vincent, stumbling to the other man. "Weiss…I…I remember it all now. I don't know how it could have disappeared, but I…I'm so sorry!"

Weiss stared at her for a moment before he lifted his left hand, placing it on her head. "It's not…your fault," He smiled at her. "I just wish that…"

"More time?" She asked him, grabbing his hand.

He gave a chuckle and nodded. "More time…" He glanced back at the large pit for a moment. "I'd ask…to come with…" Tears began to firm in her eyes as she closed them, holding his hand to her chest. "But I don't…see you…die."

Claire squeezed his hand. "Isn't there something we can do to heal you? We could-"

"No," He told her. "My time…come. Live for…us both, yeah?"

Claire bit her bottom lip. "Yeah…no problem."

"You…promise?"

She nodded. "You…you can count on me. I'll, I'll show you those fields that you wanted to see."

Weiss squeezed her hand before slipping away. He stumbled forward a bit further before glancing back at her and giving a wave. She waved back and all three of them watched as Weiss faded away, joining the Lifestream.

Everything remained silent for a few moments longer before Claire turned to look at Jeanne. "Who…who was it that they wanted to see?" she asked.

The elder woman closed her eyes. "I'm not sure, but at the same time I think I do know."

"Sephiroth?" Vincent asked.

She shook her head. "He may be a part of it, but I believe that he was more after Genesis."

"Genesis…" Claire closed her eyes.

The Mako energy from the pit shot up, the Lifestream shooting out all across the room. Jeanne had grabbed Claire and dodged out of the way with her in time but Vincent got a full blast of it.

"We have to go," Jeanne told Claire, pulling her down the hall.

"But what about Vincent?" The other woman asked.

"He'll be fine! Now just run!"

They found an opening in the Reactor and jumped into the night air. As Jeanne, holding onto Claire's hand, led them somewhere, Claire stared down at the ruins of Midgar. There didn't seem to be any Deepground soldiers left. In fact, she didn't see anything moving down there and she began to worry about Cloud and the others. But, she told herself, if they handled Sephiroth twice then they would be fine with Deepground. They were all okay.

Finally coming to a halt on a nearby cliff, Jeanne watched as the Reactors around Midgar fired up with that bright bluish-green light. She got flashbacks of her years here as a SOLDIER and watched as the Lifestream flowed out of the middle hatch, reaching to the sky as it gathered together. It began to suck the power out of the Mako Reactors, gathering as much as it could. Her mouth dropped open as a large form, much like the Weapons from three years ago just much larger, formed above them.

"Oh my god," She gasped. This thing was huge! How in the hell were they going to destroy this thing?!

"Vincent!" Claire cried as the said man was flung back from the barrier around the new creature.

A bright, shining light shot out of Omega and fought its way through to Vincent as he floated there in the air on his form of Chaos. It pierced something into him before being dragged back down in strands of darkness. His reply was a huge roar.

Claire slumped down to her knees. "Damn…there's nothing that I'm going to be able to do against that."

Jeanne placed a hand on her shoulder. "You've done far enough, Claire."

"No," She shook her head. "No I haven't. I haven't done enough. He still wants…"

Jeanne went to her knees beside her and pulled her into her arms. "Stop thinking about that. In the end everything will fall into place, understand? It's all like a huge puzzle. But, at a time like this, all you need to be thinking about is staying alive so you can knock some sense into him after all of this is over, got it?"

Claire nodded her head as she hugged the older woman back. Jeanne was always there to clear her mind. Jeanne was always the one that she could count on.

Pulling away from the elder woman, Claire stood up and turned back to the fight, her fists tightly gripped. ~Come on, Vincent~

Jeanne smiled at the other woman and opened her mouth to speak; her phone rang. "Are you finally here?"

"_Sorry about the wait." _Claire lifted her head at her brother's voice before taking notice of the Mako Reactors that were being destroyed below them.

"_Everything's clear over here," _Tifa joined them.

"Good." Jeanne closed her phone, watching as another Reactor was destroyed. "Now it's all up to him."

Claire now wore a small smile. "Vince will be fine; he can do it. I…I know he can."

Vincent shot forward through the sky, summoning everything he had to break through the barrier around Omega and breaking through into his body. Fear continued to spread through Claire's body and her knuckles turned white from her grip. She reached up to grab her necklace but then froze.

~That's right~ She told herself. ~I…I gave it back to him~

_**The night was cold. **__Claire should have gone inside earlier but she just wanted to stay outside for a little longer. She had already come to terms with what she was fighting for. She had walked inside to talk to her brother but she found him and Jeanne in a…heated conversation, and so she just came back outside. She was starting to grow tired though and-_

_"Claire," The blonde jumped and turned around, her heart rolling rapidly. She calmed herself down at the sight of the man in red._

_"Vincent, what are you doing back already?"_

_"I…I was going to go see Lucrecia," Vincent answered her truthfully as he stared at the rocks beneath them. "But I…I just wanted to stay here…with…with you."_

_"With me?" She sounded surprised and pleased at the same time._

_"Yes. I, I want to apologize to you. About what happened in the cave and for the last few days. I was being-"_

_"An ass?" She grinned as she shoved her hands happily into her pockets._

_He shot her a look. "Yes," He then turned to leave but stopped. "I'm sorry. I was just-"_

_"Don't apologize," Claire told him softly. "Just don't ignore me like that ever again, all right?"_

_"All right."_

_"Promise?"_

_Vincent looked at her like she was crazy. "What?"_

_"You gotta promise me, Vince." She answered._

_He stared at her for a moment before giving a sigh. "Here," Vincent dropped a chain into Claire's hand. "It's not much, but it's…" He fell quiet then before walking into the aircraft._

_Claire watched after him for a moment before lifting up the chain. She smiled. Hanging off of it was the three-headed dog figure that would normally be hanging off of his gun. That must have been his way of promising, right? If so, she accepted it._

"Vincent," She began, clutching her hands together. "You better not die, you bastard."

Just then, Chaos came shooting out of Omega's chest. She stood there, watching the entire battle. Watched as Chaos flew around Omega, like a flea on a dog, shooting and attacking it and its little minions. She wanted to go help but she knew there was nothing that she could do and she would just get in his way, resulting in something horrible that she didn't even want to think about. So was going to force herself to stay right here and pray for everything to be all right.

"Claire." The woman turned from the battle to see Cloud and the others of their little band had joined her and Jeanne. Even the Turks were all there, Rufus included, watching the events before them. Jena was there, helping Renee with her three children as Cid smoked and Tifa had left Matt in Zeke's arms. She gave a soft smile before turning back to the fight.

"Claire!" The voice cried and the woman felt a pair of small arms wrap around her waist. She glanced down and smiled again.

"I'm glad you're safe, Barry." She told the kind.

"You too," He then glanced over at the fight. "Vincent…he's the one out there fighting, isn't he?"

"Yeah…" She answered him.

"He's…he's going to come back, right?" Barry looked up at her. "I'm…I'm going to get to see him again, aren't I?"

Claire looked down at the boy as the threat of tears could be seen in the corners of his eyes. "Barry, I…"

_"What's wrong, Claire?" Tifa asked her friend._

_"I just…I don't want to see everyone leave again," Claire rubbed her eyes dry but more tears just flew in. "Why…why can't we all just stay together? We could make a new town and live there. It's just…it's just not fair! I miss you all so much!"_

_"Claire," Renee gave a soft smile at the crying girl before glancing at Cid. The man rubbed the back of his head. "I know how you feel, believe me. It was strange going back to the usual things and not having you all there as well but that's part of growing up. No matter what age you are, you still do it; even Cid's still growing up, though it doesn't seem to be helping," She teased. Cid snorted as the others all chuckled. "Trust me, we might not get to see eachother everyday but that doesn't mean we're not friends anymore. You ever need any of us, just give us a call. We'll come running. And don't worry, we'll all come together again. In fact, I think birthdays and reunions are in order for our group, what do you think?"_

_Claire gave a laugh, smiling at the older woman. "I feel like an idiot, now."_

_"You shouldn't," Yuffie joined in with her aunt. "If you didn't say anything I'm sure that somebody else would have; I've been thinking about it myself, actually. You boneheads are in my head almost every day now."_

What Renee had said was right. No matter what, they were always together and always were going to be together.

"Yes, Barry. Vincent's going to be all right. He'll come back to us; he always does." Cloud moved up beside his sister and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His grip gave her a comforting feel and it also boosted up her confidence. "Everything's going to be just fine."

A light crawled up Omega, as if freezing it before blue waves formed and the Lifestream shot back out into a pair of wings. It slowly took off into the sky.

"Omega's ascending!" Reeve cried. "But that would mean-"

"Come on, Vince." Claire prayed, watching as the man shot past Omega and came to a flaming halt before it. She couldn't see what happened next but a huge shockwave passed over the entire planet, making them all quiver as gasp as the light died down, revealing nothing but the stars as a mass of Mako and Lifestream rained down on them.

Claire pulled away from Barry and Cloud both, moving forward as her eyes searched the sky, looking for him. "Vincent?" She cried out. Only three red dot-like forms of energy fell down towards them. She moved forward to try and catch them. They landed in her hand, forming the Cerberus necklace in her hands again. Tears crowded her eyes again as she took a tumble to her knees. "No," She shook her head. "No." She clutched it to her chest and threw her head back. "Vincent!"

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	17. Chapter 15

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

**_Chapter Fifteen_**

**_Happy Birthday_**

**"Happy Birthday, Claire."**

It had been a week since the fight of Omega and Chaos. The Lifestream had returned to the planet and flowed through the planet normally like it once had. Omega and Chaos both had returned to the planet until their next calling was due.

Everyone had stuck together, cleaning Edge and taking care of the wounded due to Deepground. Shelke had stayed with them, as had Barry, and both now lived in Claire's house next to Jeanne and Cloud's. Both children helped care for the four babies that now plagued their friends as Marlene and Denzel became good friends with them.

Vincent…had yet to show back up. Cloud and Zeke went out to look for him but they had yet to find anything. Claire said nothing about the man in red and no one tried to mention him when she was around; they all knew what she feared.

It was now August 19. Cloud and Claire's birthday. The Strife Twins had taken them on a little picnic to a meadow of flowers and trees with a small little stream rippling through it. Claire had found it on their journey three years ago and this was always where she would go when she needed time alone. This time she wasn't alone, but at a time like this she didn't want to be alone.

Marlene, Denzel, and Barry were running around in the field with Yuffie and Red Xlll, trying to get Shelke back into a child-like mood. She moved after them in silence earlier but now she was laughing and having fun. Jena and Jeanne sat with Liana and Myra as the four of them were given the babies to take care of. Renee sat across from them with Tifa and Elena, laughing and talking together. Barret, and Cid stood with Reeve and Reno, conversing about airships and other things like that as Rufus stood with Rude, Cloud, and Zeke a little ways away as they had their own conversation.

Claire stood under the shade of a tree, watching them all with a small smile on her face. This was how she wanted her birthday to be; it was just missing one thing. A very important thing, And without him there it ruined it all for her.

"Happy Birthday Claire." The woman froze at the voice behind and squeezed her eyes closed before turning to face the man behind her. Tears sprung up in her eyes before she slammed her face into his chest.

"Vincent…I thought…"

"What did you think, Claire?"

"Shh," She told him. "If I'm seeing things then I just want to stand here until you disappear again."

Vincent chuckled and lifted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." She was silent before he leaned down to kiss her. A burst of cheers and woops erupted from behind them, making them both jump and turn. The others were all watching with smiles.

"About time, Vince." Zeke grinned. "If I had to listen to her complain about you for one more day then I was going to go crazy."

Tifa elbowed her husband in the stomach. "Don't forget that she's the one who caught the bouquet, Vincent. You still owe her a promise."

"If you need a ceremony, just give me a call," Rufus told them. "A little gift for all you've gone through."

"God guys, they're not married yet," Yuffie sighed. "Lay off of them. Give them space."

"Yuffie," Renee began. "Three years; you wait that long that man ain't going nowhere after he gives himself to you."

"And you would know, right?" Jeanne chuckled. "After all, you waited on Cid for nearly eight."

Claire rolled her eyes and turned back to the man beside her as their friends continued to talk. His hand was running over the Cerberus that she wore around her neck again. "I'm not taking it off; never again."

"Good." He told her.

"Vincent." The man lifted his head at Cloud's voice as the blond man moved closer to them. His face was like stone. "She's my sister."

Vincent blinked. "I'll take care of her."

That seemed to be what Cloud wanted to hear. He glanced at Claire, who smiled, and turned away again, returning to Jeanne's side as the woman had sat down beside Barret and Red Xlll to continue eating.

Claire turned back to the man in red. "So, you're all mine now, right?"

Vincent smiled at her soft as he crossed his arms around her. "Yeah. All yours."

She stood up on her toes to kiss him. "Best present ever."

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	18. Epilogue

**I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(**

_**Epilogue**_

_**Maybe**_

_**~There I was  
Waiting for a chance  
Hoping that you'll understand the things  
I wanna say~**_

The night light poured all over the remains of the destroyed mansion. That white mansion that was a sanctuary to the four of them. A place that he enjoyed being more so than his own home. His own little sanctuary. A place he could come when he needed…when he needed anything. And now, it was gone. Sienna's house was gone…

_**~As my love want stronger than before  
I wanna see you more and more  
But you closed your door~  
**_

The white walls with all the paintings and puzzles of animals and flowers were no more. The crystal chandeliers were shattered into the disgusting scarlet rug that was once so soft; so perfect. The hundreds of crystals that hung on the back patio, reflecting the light of the fire were just a vague memory. The plants and flowers in the large garden were now overrun with weeds and pests as the once clear pond was nothing but a dark pool of mud.

_**~Why don't you try to open up your heart  
I won't take so much of your time~  
**_

What did he have left? Angeal was gone. Sephiroth. Sienna…He had nothing! Nothing was left! And now the last remaining object of what Sienna had ever been was gone as well. It was all…

_**~Maybe it's wrong to say please love me too  
'Coz I know you'll never do  
Somebody else is waiting there inside for you~**_

A soft, warm feeling began to spread across his chest and the man glanced down. Lowering his hand, he lifted the Medallion that he wore around his neck. The carving of the Dragon Fruit Flower. Sienna's favorite flower. It was so white; so pure. As the Medallion continued to glow and spread warmth through him, he felt close to the woman he missed. Close and at the same time so far away.

_**~Maybe it's wrong to love you more each day  
'Coz I know he's here to stay  
But I know to whom you should belong~**_

It was killing him! He promised her so many years that he would be there to protect her! Be there to keep her safe! He promised her that he would never let her die and yet, she had. She had died and he hadn't even been there to go with her! Sephiroth had! Sephiroth had had the glory of going with her while he had been sleeping in a damn hole in the ground!

_**~I believed what you said to me  
We should set each other free  
That's how you want it to be~**_

Sephiroth…the very thought of that man made hatred burn in him. Sephiroth had everything that he wanted. Sephiroth was the strongest. Sephiroth was Number One. Sephiroth had her…He had tried to many times to win everything from him but every time he failed! Now there was no way for him to try anymore. Everything was gone. They were all gone!

_Not everything, _A soft voice told him. _You're forgetting someone._

_**~But my love went stronger than before  
I wanna see you more and more  
But you closed your door~**_

Genesis Rhapsodos lifted his head and glanced around but there was no one in the ruined city with him. He was by himself; like always. With a sigh, the auburn-haired man dropped the Medallion back on his chest before turning to leave the yard of the destroyed mansion.

_GENESIS!_

The man whipped around at the voice, searching for its own but froze at what he was looking at now. The backyard had returned to its former glory as four figures sat around a fire. Him, Sienna, and then two young girls as three more figures joined them from the house.

Genesis knew what this was. It was a memory from years ago…

_**~Why don't you try to open up your heart  
I won't take so much of your time~**_

_"Ah, Zack, Angeal. I'm glad to see that you have made it." Sienna smiled at them._

_"Of course we'd be here," Zack proclaimed as he took a seat next to Angeal._

_His teacher smiled. "Just like old times, right Sephiroth? Genesis?"_

_The silver haired man took a seat to Sienna's right. "Indeed."_

_"Well, at least it's not like last time." The woman grinned and she then gave Sephiroth and Genesis a stern look. "And no fighting, got it? I just had this place redone from your last one and next time, I'll make the two of you do it instead of the Turks."_

_Neither man said anything and Angeal gave a laugh. Zack did too but it quickly died from the look on Genesis' face._

_"So," Angeal decided to change the subject. "Who is it that you've brought back with you from Junon?"_

_Sienna grinned again. "This is Jena and Jeanne Rush. Sisters who wish to become a Turk and a SOLDIER." Zack, Genesis, and Angeal all looked surprised while Sephiroth just looked at the two teens._

_"Will they be able too?" Zack asked. "Will the President let them? I mean, you're the only woman every allowed in SOLDIER and I'm not so sure about the Turks."_

_"I will talk to the President about it tomorrow. I'll have no problem getting Jena and Jeanne into the programs. Shinra will make sure to put Jena under a stronger teacher and I'll take care of Jeanne myself."_

_Both of the girls looked up in surprise._

_The younger looking one held short, light brown hair and matching eyes, dressed in a pair of tan Capri's, a blue tank top, and a black, zipped up jacket._

_The elder one had longer light brown hair and the same eyes, though she was dressed in black and pink._

_"You mean," The one in blue spoke, her voice surprised. "Jena and I won't be able to stay together?"_

_Sienna shook her head. "You would be under different training sessions due to the SOLDEIRS and the Turks, but other than that you will still be together."_

_"What makes you think they're going to be able to join?" Sephiroth asked._

_Sienna's gaze turned towards the man at her side. "Let's just say that a little bird told me."_

_Sephiroth nodded as if he understood what she meant but Genesis scoffed._

_"What does that mean?"_

_"Ahh, Genesis, still ranting on the thoughts I gave you before I left, huh?" The woman grinned. "You know that I don't reveal my secrets to anyone. Not even my partner." She then turned back to the two girls on her other side. "Jena, Jeanne, this is Sephiroth, Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley, and Zack Fair. For the next year or so, these guys are going to be the ones you turn to for help if I'm not around."_

_Jena looked confused. "What do you mean when you're not around?"_

_"I will still have missions to complete, Jena. I will not be able to be around all the time."_

_"Don't worry, I've got your backs." Zack decided to give the two girls a thumbs-up. "Just come to me when you need anything."_

_Angela smirked. "Yes, and then you'll come running to me for help."_

_Zack pulled a face. "I will not!"_

_**~Maybe it's wrong to say please love me too  
'Coz I'll know you'll never do  
Somebody else is waiting there inside for you~**_

Genesis shook his head with a small smile. That was the night before everything started to falter. Before he found out the meaning behind his existence. The four of them were like a family as the three children joined in, just adding to it. A dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. That was the one thing that Sienna always wanted it and she had it. Until Genesis found everything out.

_**~Maybe it's wrong to love you more each day  
'Coz I know he's here to stay  
But my love is strong~  
**_

It wasn't fair! All he wanted was revenge and in the end he didn't even acquire that! If only he could go back and change time! He would do everything over! He would grab ahold of Sienna before Sephiroth ever could! He would have made sure to hide everything from Sephiroth and Sienna to make sure that they couldn't go crazy! He would…would do so many things to keep the woman he loved safe but there was nothing that he could do now…nothing.

_**~I don't know if this is wrong  
But I know to whom you should belong~  
**_

_Not true…Not true at all…_

_**~Maybe it's wrong to say please love me too  
'Coz I'll know you'll never do  
Somebody else is waiting there inside for you~**_

As he stood there, a strange plan began to unfold in his mind. A strange plan, but a plan nonetheless. Would it work? Could it work? It was insane but just maybe…

Genesis reached inside his jacket and pulled out a leather-bound book, flipping through the pages towards the back. His eyes skimmed the pages for a brief moment before a smile spread across his lips.

_**~Maybe it's wrong to love you more each day  
'Coz I know he's here to stay  
But my love is strong~**_

Of course it would work. He would make it work. He needed help but that would be easy to find. After all, he was sure that he wasn't the only one that missed Sienna. It was like a puzzle and the pieces, the events over the last ten years, were already in place, waiting for the remaining pieces to be placed themselves. And Genesis would make sure that they would be placed in the correct spots. After all, he had an eternity to do so…

_**~I don't know if this is wrong  
But I know to whom you should belong~**_

_Of course...I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing you'll be here._

_-Loveless_

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	19. A Perfect EndingSort of

**And so the Saga of Final Fantasy 7 ends…sort of.**

Eclipsed is still going for those interested in Sienna and Sephiroth's past. After Eclipsed is finish I announce that the actual FINAL story of Final Fantasy 7 is going to begin. I hope you guys all stick around to read that. It brings about the finish of EVERYTHING that you want to know about my characters. The plan is amazing and I hope you'll like it. I will announce on here when 'Who Wants to Live Forever' begins.

I hope you guys liked the Final Fantasy 7 series. It's one of my all-time favorite stories and I really really enjoyed doing all of them.

Now, Here's a few of the next games I will be doing.

**Final Fantasy 8: **Ah, yes, the next FF of the series. I chose to do FF7 and FF8 of the series' first so I could do Kingdom Hearts. That's right baby, Jeanne and the others, and the ones you'll meet in number 8, are coming back for Kingdom Hearts! Whoo! They'll be back for Dissadia as well when I get to it, but I have to do all the other FF games first, :p

**Devil May Cry: **I told you that the first one would be right around the corner! Ryona will be returning with Dante for a little more information about her past and relatives ;)

**Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep**: And so here is the beginning of the Kingdom Hearts Series. I can't wait!

**Final Fantasy 1:** The first of the FF series and one of the best. All you Warrior of Light fans out there better get ready! Kira's gonna knock Light's head around time and time again! ;) And even if you've never played the original Final Fantasy I ask you to join us; I'll tell you the story.

**Devil May Cry 4: **I am following the order that I believe the games happened in so no, don't worry, I didn't forget the second game, I promise.

**Kingdom Hearts: **The original game that started all of this. I really can't wait to do this one!

**Final Fantasy 2: **I have to say that this game is one of, if not THE, best games of the Final Fantasy Series, and just because of Emperor Mateus. If He and Sephiroth ever got into a fight I can honestly say that I have no idea who would win; and who I would vote for, believe it or not. This crazy antagonist is the shit! LOL

**Devil May Cry 2:** Not my fave of the DMC series but once you start the series you have to finish it.

Those are just a few that I have planned.

Again, thank you guys so much for reading this and I hope that you all enjoyed it just as much as I did! I hope to see you all again whether it's in my games, my movies, or my anime!

XOXO,

HiddenXEmotion


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